It’s our instinct to want to know what something is, what it is called, where it belongs, and how it is categorized. Small children begin naming, sorting, and categorizing around the age of two. This is an essential stage in human development. Sorting, organizing, and naming enables children to join the social ranks by assuming a common language. Bird. Cow. Dog. Cat. Flower. Tree. And so on. We all know what we are referencing when we talk about these things. As we get older, those names get more specific, like Barn Swallow, Longhorn, Australian Shepherd, Lion, Daisy, and Oak. Naming things in nature is the first step to connecting to nature and gaining confidence with being outdoors.
So, how do we learn the names of wild things we see in nature? A field guide can help you name (identify) the plants and animals that you see and observe in the wild. A field guide is a book or manual that contains illustrations and descriptions to help users identify plants, animals, fossils, rocks, and other things found in nature.
In this post, I am going to show you what makes a good field guide so you can:
- Learn to identify wild things
- Grow your understanding of the natural world
- Connect to nature
Field guides have been around for centuries to help people identify plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, and even rocks and shells. Whether you are an aspiring naturalist or an occasional hiker at the local nature trail, the right field guide will get you more acquainted with wild things in your area!
Everyone Needs a Field Guide to Enhance Outdoor Experiences
Field guides help us get acquainted with the natural world. Like on a first name basis. It is quite exciting to see something new in nature, and then be able to put a name to it, to introduce yourself. Like any new relationship, though, once we have introduced ourselves we then must begin the longer process of getting to know one another. This is the foundation of connecting to nature, going beyond the naming of a thing to understanding its characteristics, behaviors, and qualities.
6 Reasons You Need a Field Guide
Field guides are essential tools for anyone interested in nature, whether you are a scientist, outdoor enthusiast, or even a casual backyard observer. Here’s 6 reasons you need a field guide in your personal library:
- For Species Identification: with detailed descriptions and illustrations of various species of plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms you can put a name to what you are seeing in the wild.
- For Educational Purposes: pages include information about characteristics, behaviors, habitats, and distributions of different species, as well as the ecology, life cycles, and conservation status to build your knowledge.
- For Research and Conservation: field guide ownership supports the work of researchers who also use them as they gather data for conservation efforts to monitor changes in biodiversity over time.
- For Recreational Activities: identifying and learning about the plants, animals, and other organisms encountered during outdoor activities, such as hiking, camping, biking, or birdwatching, enriches your experience in nature.
- For Environmental Awareness: by promoting a deeper understanding of the natural world, field guides contribute to environmental awareness and stewardship.
- For Accessibility: since field guides are available in various formats, including printed books, digital apps, and online resources, the wonder and beauty of nature is accessible to a wide range of users.
What’s Inside that Field Guide?
The purpose of a field guide is to help you, the user, identify what you encounter in the wild accurately.
While the overall format and structure may vary depending on the publisher, most field guides generally contain the same information: species scientific and common names, detailed descriptions and illustrations of the species, and range maps.
Scientific and Common Names
Search way back in your mind to your high school science days and you might remember a fellow named Carolus Linnaeus. His birth name was actually Carl von Linne until he developed a system for naming, ranking, and classifying organisms and changed his name to match. Anyway, this is not a science class, but a little reminder that you did learn about the latinized naming system used for species because these are included in field guides. Scientific names are important because they are unique. This means people from all over the world use the same scientific name when referring to the same species.
Unlike common names which can create quite a bit of confusion! Common names vary country to country, state to state, and even region to region making it a challenge to know if everyone is referring to the same thing. On a recent hike, I came across a beautiful plant in full bloom that smelled like vanilla so naturally I went home to look it up. It took quite a bit of time because local hikers had referenced it with 6 different names! These six common names were all regional monikers for the same plant with the scientific name of Berberis trifoliolata. Luckily, good field guides will list the common names along with the scientific name to help identify the thing you’re looking for.
Detailed Descriptions and Illustrations
Just like human folks, there is a lot of variation among the same species of wild things. This makes nature a continuous wonder but also adds a level of challenge in identifying species. Good field guides provide detailed descriptions alongside illustrations or photographs of specimens to help users narrow down what it is they are really looking at. Descriptions of physical characteristics and their variations are supplemented with information about behaviors, habitats, and distributions of different species. When you have a challenging specimen to identify, all of this information can be taken holistically to determine identity.
Remember, naming the thing is just the beginning. We want to go beyond naming to build knowledge, foster a connection, and a relationship with nature. When you are browsing field guides look for one that includes information on ecology, life cycles, and conservation status. These details will help you gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the natural world.
Range Maps
A range map is simply a map that uses some kind of shading gradient (colors, lines, dots, etc.) to indicate where a species lives. Next time you are out hiking and you pull out your field guide to identify a plant or animal, give a little nod to the scientists and researchers. Their work not only informs your field guide, but they also rely on field guides for their own work in taxonomy, ecology, and conservation biology. Accurate identification of species is fundamental to studying species’ populations, distributions, and interactions with the environment. This is how range maps are built. If a species is migratory then there will be a key to note a migratory path, breeding or summer range, and a wintering range.
Being able to look at a range map helps narrow down which species you may be looking at. For example, you might think that small bright yellow bird you saw is a Canary. But, your field guide has a range map that shows these birds only live on a few small islands out in the middle of the Atlantic. Flipping to the songbirds section, you see the American Goldfinch is a more likely candidate because it lives in your area. This is not to say that species are not found outside of their normal range. This is happening more and more as the climate changes. Remember, field guides help researchers gather data for conservation efforts and monitor changes in biodiversity over time. So if you see something interesting, that you think may be out of its normal range, your local naturalist, ecologist, or park ranger would love to know!
Now you know all about Field Guides
Field guides enhance recreational activities such as birdwatching, hiking, camping, and nature photography. They help you as a budding outdoor enthusiast and naturalist identify and learn about the plants, animals, and other wild things encountered during your adventures. This will enrich your experiences in nature and help you build a connection with the natural world.
Field guides play a vital role in fostering curiosity, knowledge, and appreciation of the natural world. They are indispensable tools for anyone interested in exploring, studying, and conserving biodiversity. By promoting a deeper understanding of the natural world, field guides contribute to environmental awareness and stewardship. Take a look in your library. Do you have a good field guide? Now you know what to look for! Get a field guide today and grow your natural history skills. Encourage people to develop a connection with nature and inspire them to protect and conserve it for future generations!
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