A Check-List of the Birds of Idaho
1947
This 1947 checklist represents the first comprehensive survey of Idaho's avian population, documenting 292 species across the state's diverse habitats. M. Dale Arvey assembled this pioneering work from five years of fieldwork and collaboration with regional ornithologists, filling a significant gap in western ornithological literature at a time when Idaho's birdlife remained poorly catalogued. Each entry includes occurrence records, habitat descriptions, and notes on species commonality, drawn from systematic observation and the accumulated studies of various field researchers. The result is both a practical tool for birdwatchers traversing Idaho's varied ecosystems, from the Snake River Plain to the Bitterroot mountains, and a historical document capturing mid-century ornithological knowledge. Though designed as a reference work rather than narrative reading, it holds value for anyone interested in the natural history of the American West or the evolution of bird documentation in North America.

