This beautiful book presents exquisite paintings of forty-eight Texas birds chosen by John O'Neill and Suzanne Winckler as their own personal "greats." Some of the birds are as common as they are beloved. Others are definitely life-list birds -- rare, beautiful, exotic-sounding, or all three at once. The authors have also gathered a flock of well-known Texas birders and nature writers to offer personal, scientific, or literary observations about each bird. In all, forty-eight essays, one to a bird, are included here.

These beautifully detailed paintings and the observations that accompany them make a convincing case that these are, indeed, the great Texas birds. Whether you're a serious birder or simply a backyard bird watcher, you'll find in this book a "lovely edifice" where people who care about birds can be together.