This is the first comprehensive guide to the closely related families of wrens, dippers, and thrashers. The book covers 75 wrens, 34 thrashers, and 5 dippers, almost all of which are New World species.

The wrens (Troglodytidae) display great diversity, occupying almost every kind of habitat in the Americas. The family probably originates in Central America where the greatest number of species is to be found. The thrashers (Mimidae) include the mockingbirds, catbirds, and tremblers. The dippers (Cinclidae) are river specialists, although they usually exhibit no obvious features for an aquatic existence. The book describes the various forms within each group, their distribution and breeding biology, as well as their flight, molt, behavior, and ecology. The text is accompanied by maps, diagrams, and color illustrations.

David Brewer is coauthor of Where to Watch Birds in Central America and the Caribbean. Barry Kent Mackay is a well-known Canadian bird artist whose work has appeared in many books and magazines.