The Sibley Guide to Birds

Average customer rating:

Sibley is so helpful!

The Sibley Guide to Birds----a must for birding .

Bird watching

THE guide to own for North American birds

A great book and a great gift

The Sibley Guide to Birds
David Allen Sibley
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Ornithology | Zoology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition (National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America)

ASIN: 0679451226

Amazon.com

More than 10 years in the making, David Sibley's Guide to Birds is a monumental achievement. The beautiful watercolor illustrations (6,600, covering 810 species in North America) and clear, descriptive text place Sibley and his work squarely in the tradition of John James Audubon and Roger Tory Peterson; more than a birdwatcher and evangelizer, he is one of the foremost bird painters and authorities in the U.S. Still, his field guide will no doubt spark debate. Unlike Kenn Kaufman's Focus Guide, Sibley's is unapologetically aimed at the converted. Beginning birders may want to keep a copy of Sibley at home as a reference, but the wealth of information will have the same effect on novices as trying to pick out a single sandpiper in a wheeling flock of thousands. The familiar yellow warbler, for instance, gets no less than nine individual illustrations documenting its geographic, seasonal, and sex variations--plus another eight smaller illustrations showing it in flight. Of course, more experienced birders will appreciate this sort of detail, along with Sibley's improvements on both Peterson and the National Geographic guide:

As in Peterson, Sibley employs a pointer system for key field markings--but additional text blurbs are included alongside the illustrations to facilitate identification.
Descriptive passages on identification are more detailed than those in most other field guides. For example, Sibley includes extensive information on the famously hard-to-distinguish hawks in the genus Accipiter (sharp-shinned, Cooper's, and northern goshawk), noting differences in leg thickness and wing beat that will be of use to more advanced birders. A section on the identification of "peeps" (small sandpipers) includes tips about seasonal molting and bill length. Confusing fall warblers, Empidonax flycatchers, and Alcids receive similar treatment.
As previously mentioned, ample space is given to illustrations that show plumage variations by age, sex, and geography within a single species. Thus, an entire page is devoted to the red-shouldered hawk and its differing appearances in the eastern U.S., Florida, and California; similarly, gulls are distinguished by age and warblers by sex.
Range maps are detailed and accurate, with breeding, wintering, and migration routes clearly depicted; rare but regular geographic occurrences are denoted by green dots.
The binding and paper stock are of exceptional quality. Despite its 544 pages, a reinforced paperback cover and sewn-in binding allow the book to be spread out flat without fear of breaking the binding.

Some birders will be put off by the book's size. Slightly larger than the National Geographic guide, it's less portable than most field guides and will likely spend more time in cars and desks than on a birder's person while in the field. For some it will be a strictly stay-at-home companion guide to consult after a field trip; others may want to have it handy in a fannypack or backpack. But regardless of how it is used, Sibley's Guide to Birds is a significant addition to any birding library. "Birds are beautiful," the author writes in the preface, "their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature." Pleasing, too, is this comprehensive guide to their identification. --Langdon Cook

Book Description

David Allen Sibley, America's most gifted contemporary painter of birds, is the author and illustrator of this comprehensive guide. His beautifully detailed illustrations—more than 6,600 in all—and descriptions of 810 species and 350 regional populations will enrich every birder's experience.

The Sibley Guide's innovative design makes it entirely user friendly. The illustrations are arranged to facilitate comparison, yet still capture the unique character of each species.

The Sibley Guide to Birds provides a wealth of new information:
—Captioned illustrations show many previously unpublished field marks and revisions of known marks
—Nearly every species is shown in flight
—Measurements include length, wingspan, and weight for every species
—Subspecies and geographic varients are covered thoroughly
—Complete voice descriptions are included for every species
—Maps show the complete distribution of every species: summer and winter ranges, migration routes, and rare occurrences

Both novice and experienced birders will appreciate these and other innovative features:
—An introductory page for each family or group of related families makes comparisons simple
—Clear and concise labels with pointers identify field marks directly
—Birds are illustrated in similar poses to make comparisons between species quick and easy
—Illustrations emphasize the way birds look in the field

With The Sibley Guide to Birds, the National Audubon Society makes the art and expertise of David Sibley available to the world in a comprehensive, handsome, easy-to-use volume that will be the indispensable identification guide every birder must own.

Customer Reviews:

Sibley is so helpful!.......2007-07-01

BACK IN THE DAYS...
when I was a young, inexperienced, birdwatcher of age 5, I found this book at a bookstore and started flipping through its pages. When my folks were ready to go, I would not leave it. So we bought the book, thinking "Was this book really worth it?" And it was.

3 YEARS LATER...
Sibley's guide is awesome! I could look at it for hours. It has got top-notch info that is suprisingly helpful for any person interested in birds. If you are a beginner, you will learn so much from it (I did!) and if you have studied birds for a while, you will get to know species better.

Go to your nearest bookstore or library to find it. It's really worth it!

The Sibley Guide to Birds----a must for birding ........2007-06-27

The Sibley Guide to Birds is necessary for anyone who has a serious or not-so-serious interest in identifying birds. The prose is well-written and easy to understand and each description gives plenty of information to help you further identify the different varieties of birds. But the most compelling feature, and one that isn't shared by any of the other bird books that I've come across, is the illustrations of each bird in all of its incarnations---from hatchling to adult and every stage of seasonal molt inbetween.

Bird watching.......2007-06-21

This book is excellent for Identifing birds.

THE guide to own for North American birds.......2007-06-18

This is THE guide to have for North American birds. It is complete, the illustrations are wonderful and very clear, and all information is included on the same page (I just wish a little more information on habitat & behavior were included). The book also includes pages illustrating birds of similar species one next to each other, which makes identification easier. The only real drawback of this book are its size and weight. It is not ideal if you are into hiking/birdwatching. If you are looking for another excellent but lighter guide to bring with you when birdwatching I recommend "All the Birds of North America" (American Bird Conservancy's Field Guide). It is complete, clear and much much smaller and lighter than Sibley. However, not only the art in Sibley is better, but there are way more illustrations of birds in different positions, of different age and or different forms (e.g. darker/lighter etc). What I often end up doing is bringing the lighter guide with me when I hike and using Sibley to check doubtful birds when I reach home.

A great book and a great gift.......2007-03-18

We've already got a copy of this book and we decided to give this copy as a gift. It was a hit. The illustrations and descriptions are great. Very easy to use.

National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition (National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America)

Average customer rating:

A Fabulous Field Guide - Sibley's now has competition
Nat Geo Bird Guide
Great Guide for Birding
Still the best in its field
Hawkeye Review

National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition (National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America)
Jon L. Dunn , and Jonathan Alderfer
Manufacturer: National Geographic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America
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National Geographic Complete Birds of North America (National Geographic)
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America

ASIN: 0792253140
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Book Description

Birding is the fastest growing wildlife-related activity in the U.S., and even conservative estimates put the current number of U.S. birders at 50 million. According to the New York Times, some authorities predict that by 2050 there will be more than 100 million—and the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America will be the essential reference for field identification and the cornerstone of any birder's library. This is the ultimate, indispensable bird field guide—comprehensive, authoritative, portable, sturdy, and easier than ever to use.

Among the the new edition's key elements and practical improvements: Every North American species—more than 960, including a new section on accidental birds—classified according to the latest official American Ornithologists' Union checklist 4,000 full-color illustrations by the foremost bird artists at work todayand newly updated range maps that draw on the latest data New durable cover for added protection against adverse weather, plus informative quick-reference flaps that double as placemarkers New reader-friendly features like thumbtabs that make locating key sections faster and easier, and a quick-find index to direct users straight to the information they need.

Customer Reviews:

A Fabulous Field Guide - Sibley's now has competition.......2007-10-15

I've been using Sibley's Field Guide for the last three years, and my Western Sibley's is very well worn. But now, the field guide I refer to is the National Geographic. The new fifth edition is great. Rather than just list field marks, it offers tips on distinguishing similar species. The art is all new, and IMHO, very close to actual (compared to previous editions which were...schematic...[that's putting it kindly]).

Additionally, the submerged tabs are very handy, and they've picked up on putting the map in the back, like Sibleys.

My only complaints are that it's not a harder cover, and that I'd like it more narrow and tall, rather than wide and short. Nits. It's a fabulous field guide.

Nat Geo Bird Guide.......2007-10-03

I think this is a good field guide. I find the organization easy to use. The infomation is good and includes the regions where each bird can be found. The pictures and drawings of the birds were very thorough, ie the birds may be sitting or flying, male vs female, juveniles vs. adults, and extensive markings are identified.

I'm rather new to bird watching, so I only gave it 4 stars. I thought the more experienced watchers may have a different perspective.

Great Guide for Birding.......2007-09-07

As a novice birder, I find this book to be invaluable. Not only does it provide great photos, it also gives information that entices the reader to learn more and more. This is the text our birding instructor insists we all have in our libraries, and I certainly know why. The guide is a must for anyone interested in learning more about birds.

Still the best in its field.......2007-08-31

I've owned a previous edition of this field guide (it fell into a pond), and I think this continues as the clearest, most practical North American field guide I've found.

The text is simple and to the point. The illustrations are not always as beautiful or lifelike as the drawings or photographs in other guides, but are often much clearer, with useful distinguishing details always picked out well, and a range of plumages/postures shown when necessary. It's not posket sized, but it's not too large or heavy for a backpack or fannypack. As a practical field guide, this is my choice.

I haven't found any changes from the fourth edition that make much of a difference for me, so I wouldn't suggest buying this just as an upgrade.

Hawkeye Review.......2007-06-26

Excellent Field Guide for North American birds----I have owned numerous field guides and this one is by far the best. The bird pictures are excellent and easy to compare with the living specimens. Field notes and range maps are also excellent. A great birding guide that will not dissappoint. National Geographic continues to put out top quality publications.

National Geographic Complete Birds of North America (National Geographic)

Average customer rating:

Excellent content, unacceptale binding.
Alex's bird review
Great Content, Terrible Presentation
Terrific information
Best Bird Book Available

National Geographic Complete Birds of North America (National Geographic)
Jonathan Alderfer
Manufacturer: National Geographic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Birds | Field Guides | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion: A Comprehensive Resource for Identifying North American Birds

ASIN: 0792241754
Release Date: 2005-11-15

Book Description

Essential, comprehensive, and easy to use, National Geographic Complete Book of Birds is an astonishing resource that covers every bird species in North America, as well as all the migrants that fly through. The entries are organized by family groups-an incredible 82 are included-according to the American Ornithological Union guidelines. Within a family, each separate bird entry has dozens of tips and illustrations on species' genders, age groups, behavior, habitats, nesting and feeding habits, and migration routes. Readers will also find unique features, such as:A quick-find index for the most common bird groups and a full glossaryStraightforward, accessible text by numerous birding experts, including National Geographic's resident birding consultant Jonathan AlderferHundreds of range and migration maps from renowned ornithologist Paul Lehman with National Geographic cartographersState-of-the-art, updated bird illustrations by expert artists, including Jonathan AlderferNew and original photographs from well-known bird photographers Kevin Karlson and Brian Small

Perfect for novice or experienced birders alike, National Geographic Complete Book of Birds is a definitive, must-have resource. Quite simply, there is no other volume like it.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent content, unacceptale binding........2007-07-01

This book has excellent content, but the first printing had the stiff binding that wouldn't allow the book to open fully, making it very difficult to read. The second printing has a more flexible spine where the pages are just stuck to it. After four months of very casual use, the pages began falling out. This is the poorest bound book that I have ever seen.

Alex's bird review.......2007-07-01

Birdwatchers,hello! I am an 8-year old birder. If you love birds and need some good information 'Nat Geo's Complete Birds of North America' has great info on behavior, identification and other important bird stuff! It is the first book I look at if my family or a friend describes a bird they saw today.

I reccomend this highly, and you can buy it at almost every bookstore or library.

Great Content, Terrible Presentation.......2006-06-10

The single most noticeable thing about this book is how poorly it was manufactured. The spine seems to be made from steel making it impossible to ever fully open the book and an exercise in frustration to read. This problem is greatly exacerbated by the fact that the text runs way down into the deep dark recesses of the crevasse created by the horrible binding. The actaully printing however is very good. The pictures are clear with good color and the paper is of high quality. This makes it even more of a shame that the binding is so bad.

The actual content of the book is quite good. Most of the illustrations were taken from the National Geographic Field Guide as were the maps. The maps have been increased in size which is a definite help. Every species accepted by the ABA is covered with its own write-up. Not surprisingly, some of the rarer species receive much less of a write-up then the regular ones.

In the end I believe that the poor production qualities fatally flaw the book and can only recommend to the bird book obsessed like myself.

Terrific information.......2006-03-07

Well written, good information, well organized. Not a field guide but one of the best reference books I've seen.

Best Bird Book Available.......2006-03-02

In typical National Geographic fashion, this book is excellent. It is extremely comprehensive with outstanding artwork. This is a must have for anyone who enjoys birding. You should also buy the National Geographic Field Guide to Birds of North America as an easy to carry companion.

Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America

Average customer rating:

Love this book
great pictures, makes it easy to identify birds
A book in the hand
Great indexing--especially for beginners
Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America

Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America
Kenn Kaufman
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Turtleback

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0618574239

Amazon.com

World-renowned birder Kenn Kaufman addresses a long-running paradox of bird field guides with his Focus Guide. While beginning birdwatchers prefer photographic guides like those by Donald Stokes, the physical traits that make identification easier are more readily discerned in the idealized paintings of illustrative guides like those by Roger Tory Peterson and National Geographic. Kaufman's groundbreaking work combines the best of both approaches by digitally enhancing photographic images to show the characteristics that are sometimes not apparent in photographs.

Some other distinguishing features include:

The guide is organized by bird family groupings rather than strict taxonomic classification; this is a feature that will appeal especially to beginners.
Text descriptions and range maps for each species appear on the page facing the plate of respective bird images.
Important field marks are highlighted.
Color-coded tabs identify each grouping of birds (waders, warblers, sparrows, etc.) for quick thumb indexing.

Kaufman's efforts follow the auspicious tradition of Roger Tory Peterson, whose portable field guide system was the first of its kind to meet the needs of the average birdwatcher. "It's the guide I've always wanted," says Kaufman, "and I suspect most birders will feel the same way."

Book Description

In 2000 Houghton Mifflin first published the Kaufman Focus Guide to the Birds of North America. Critically acclaimed for its innovative design, the Kaufman guide began introducing a new generation to birding. In 2005, this new Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America is now the most up-to-date field guide, including dozens of changes by the American Ornithologists" Union in official names of birds; the addition of new species to reflect the latest scientific discoveries; and dozens of updated range maps. Additional information helps beginning birdwatchers get started, all in the same compact format that has made this guide the easiest to use for fast identification in the field.

Customer Reviews:

Love this book.......2007-08-22

We use this all the time to identify the birds around us and when we travel. Great pictures!

great pictures, makes it easy to identify birds.......2007-06-12

we were replacing a golden field guide to birds that got dunked in the water....this one is great! Sturdy binding, good indexing, great pictures, I find it very easy to use. We enjoy identifying the birds around our home in Minnesota but are not "birdwatchers". I would recommend it highly.

A book in the hand.......2007-04-02

Kaufman's book is beautifully organized and illustrated. The descriptions are brief as befits a book intended as a pocketable field guide but the salient points for identification are presented clearly. It is not absolutely complete for the sake of brevity but the species omitted are not very likely to be encountered. If needed a local area supplement could be used. It serves its purpose very well indeed.

Great indexing--especially for beginners.......2007-03-26

My 7 year old has recently become fascinated with birds. We had a little backyard guide, but it just wasn't enough. I went to the bookstore to look at the different guides available & really loved the way this book is indexed. In the front, you see pictures of groups of birds, the name of the group & a color band--the book section has the matching color band.

It's really easy for my daughter to see a bird, glance over the first groups of pictures in the front index, pick the group that it looks like, then find the colored section in the book & find the exact bird! There isn't a ton of info no the birds, mostly just region info, food, call, etc--but pictures include males, females & juveniles--which is very nice--the maps are also very clear, so it's easy to see if it might be in your area.

We love this book & highly recommend it to beginners who don't know much about birds & their groups, etc!

For further information on the birds, we also bought the DK (Dorling Kindersley) Guide to Birds of North America--we bought the Eastern, but they also make a Western. It's 24.99 at the book store, but you can get it for less than 10 here on amazon--it goes into great detail about each bird, has tons of color pictures of the birds, their nests, eggs, babies, etc--very educational--we will use it to learn more about the birds once we spot them in our Kaufman guide.

We also ordered, on a whim & because it was only 83 cents on amazon, The Complete Birdhouse Book--The Easy Guide to Attracting Nesting Birds by Donald & Lillian Stokes. When it arrived I was overjoyed with how wonderful this book is--it is full color, talks in-depth about the bird life-cycle with full color pictures & specifically what different birds need in a home--and thus, how to construct it! What beginner ever knew the hole size, hole to floor measurement & inside dimensions & total height were so important--not to mention where it is placed & what type of things to leave in your yard for nesting material! Also, how to control predators & pests & other useful information. Full color pictures again & highly educational---a good companion for anyone wanting to attract birds to their yard!

Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America.......2007-03-21

By my side constantly. My old guide was over 10 years old & used in MD & NJ. Now in AL I can start again .. the pictures are vivid. Great detail on attacting birds and easy for me to identify the new ones here in a new local.

Can start again on listing the dates I see my NEW birds. Glad I bought this one.

Average customer rating:

The Definitive Guide to ShoreBirds
Shorebird Guide
The Shorebirds of North America
This is indeed THE guide to shorebirds
the shorebird guide

The Shorebird Guide
Richard Crossley , Kevin Karlson , and Michael O'Brien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Turtleback

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Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion: A Comprehensive Resource for Identifying North American Birds
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National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition (National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America)
Shorebirds of North America: The Photographic Guide
The Art of Pishing: How to Attract Birds by Mimicking Their Calls (Book & Audio CD)

ASIN: 0618432949

Book Description

When many birders go out looking at shorebirds, they see a distant mud flat full of grayish brown birds in various shapes and sizes and have no idea where to begin the identification process.

When advanced birders look at that same flock of shorebirds, they can identify the vast majority of birds with a quick binocular scan. Experts use the simplest, most easily observed characteristicsâsize, structure, behavior, and general color patternsâalmost subconsciously, and can identify most birds even before looking carefully at plumage details.

Now birders of all levels can learn how to identify these wildly popular birds quickly and with much less effort. This guide provides more than 870 stunning color photographs, sequenced to give a general impression of a species first and progressing to a more detailed image of the bird throughout its life cycle. Captions list characteristics in order of importance, reflecting the thought process that experts use to identify birds.

Customer Reviews:

The Definitive Guide to ShoreBirds.......2007-07-29

Of all of the information available that involves Shorebirds, this book is equal to none. It provides the most organized and complete understanding of the complicated life cycles of these birds. The photograpy is excellent not only in its quality but also in its visualizations of the different life cycles. The book advances how we look upon these types of birds by drawing refined attention to their life cycles and their ecosystems. This is a must have for all birders libraries.

Shorebird Guide .......2007-05-14

An excellent shorebird guide. The best I have ever owned. Extremely helpful in teaching you HOW to identify shorebirds.

The Shorebirds of North America.......2007-03-12

Haven't seen The Shorebird Guide, sounds wonderful, but I found no reference, in the 17 or 18 reviews, to Bob Clem's Shorebirds of North America(1967). I find paintings, from Peterson to Sibley, much more satisfing than photographs: there is something in a painting that captures the soul of the bird that the photo just can't do. And then Pete Matthiessen wrote the text for Bob's paintings. A dynamic duo! Just went to a "Wine and Woodcocks" event at JEDSAS, an Audubon sanctuary across the creek from our village of Neavitt, in Maryland. I look forward to seeing their copy of The Shorebird Guide. But why do we forget such a classic shorebird book that was only 40 years ago?

This is indeed THE guide to shorebirds.......2007-02-23

This is perhaps the best bird family guide that I've seen. It is definitely the best identification guide to this difficult group of birds.
The book focuses more on size and shape rather than plumage. Therefore, the photos aren't like other guides. They are not all uniformly sized super close-up shots of a single bird. Instead they are sized to better emphasize certain characteristics. They often show multiple birds of different species so as to give a better comparison of size, shape, and plumage.

One of the best features of the guide is the questions in some captions. Most species have at least one question in one of their photo captions. The questions ask the reader to do such things as identify some of the species in the photo, or to pick out one particular species among all the birds present. The answers are contained in an appendix in the back. These questions force the reader to apply the knowledge and techniques imparted by the authors and look more critically and actively at the photograph.

I can't recommend this book enough.

the shorebird guide.......2007-01-11

Excellent coverage on shorebirds....good fotos with comparative fotos really outstanding....any serious birder in the tropics can get great value out of this book

Backyard Bird Identification Guide (T.F.H. Wild Birds Series)

Average customer rating:

Partial Backyard Bird Identification
Nice reference book
Bird Identification
Save your money.
Backyard Bird Identification Guide

Backyard Bird Identification Guide (T.F.H. Wild Birds Series)
Jerry G. Walls
Manufacturer: TFH Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Guide to Backyard Birds

ASIN: 079383578X

Customer Reviews:

Partial Backyard Bird Identification.......2007-05-30

It is a nice book but did not contain exactly what I was looking for - until you actually have it in your hands, there is no way to know. I am not sorry I bought it but this information was contained in other books I have.

Nice reference book.......2007-05-28

This is a good book for the novice birdwatcher, like myself. It shows the most common birds in color photographs along with info on each. A great starter book for wild bird lovers.

Bird Identification.......2007-05-20

This book was given as a gift and the receiver hasn't had it long enough for a comprehensive review. However, a brief look throught the book found it detailed and illustrated great. It is still hard to identify a bird if you are not aware of it's name. The birds don't remain at the feeder that long and to go through the book takes time.
The suggestion for scopes and bins is helpful as these tools are needed. If the receiver is persistent in following the suggestions, I believe the book will prove to be useful.

Save your money........2007-05-13

This book does not amout to much. There is little information and not many birds.

Backyard Bird Identification Guide.......2007-02-18

I got the book for my husband. He received a very nice bird feeder as a gift and was wanting to know what some of his guests are. Some of them he knew, but a lot of them he did'nt. The book helps a lot.

Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region (Stokes Field Guides)

Average customer rating:

A pretty good bird book.
Best bird book for the backyard birder
a swell field guide
Excellent Pictures
Bird Illustrations at their Best

Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region (Stokes Field Guides)
Donald Stokes , and Lillian
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs: Eastern Region (Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs)
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Stokes Birdfeeder Book : The Complete Guide to Attracting, Identifying, and Understanding Your Feeder Birds
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America
A Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern and Central North America

ASIN: 0316818097

Book Description

Each with more than 900 brilliant full-color photographs-the easiest-to-use and most comprehensive field guides to North American birds. Visually, factually, and organizationally superior to any other field guide, the bestselling Stokes Field Guide to Birds draws on more than twenty years of Donald and Lillian Stokes's experience as experts on American birds and wildlife. Each regional edition features: More than 900 high-resolution full-color identification photographs. All the identification information on a single page- color photographs, range map, and detailed description. No more fumbling to match photos with text! An illustrated Quick Guide to the most common backyard and feeder birds. Convenient colored tabs keyed to each bird group. For fast reference-a compact alphabetical index inside the front and back covers. Concise and comprehensive text, with information on habitat; plumage variation; feeding, nesting, and mating behavior; bird feeder proclivity; and-for the first time in any guide-population trends and conservation status.

Customer Reviews:

A pretty good bird book........2007-09-19

This book has good images and descriptions but lacks something that Roger Tory Peterson has. It also has something Peterson lacks so I enjoy using both. My wife and I live on seven acres of Maryland farm-land and enjoy many birds that are described well in one book or the other, so we use both. The best part of the Stokes book is the CD of bird calls that goes with it. We have identified a couple birds that we wouldn't have been able to do without it.

Best bird book for the backyard birder.......2007-07-02

This book packs more information on one page than any bird book that I own. It is easy to use and you know immediately if the bird is generally seen in your area by checking the map. I've given the book away on a number of occasions to new birders and experienced, alike.
Charli Vogt

a swell field guide.......2007-04-05

We have half a dozen bird books on the shelf but Stokes is the field guide that is being tossed in the bag or kayak for bird identification.

Excellent Pictures.......2007-03-31

This book is great. I would not consider myself a bird watcher but we have a bird feeder outside and it's interesting looking the birds up in the Stokes guide. The pictures are fantastic and it's good that it's only Eastern birds, so it makes it easier to identify the ones in my area.

Our kids really like it too and it makes it interesting to learn new facts. If you never realized what the visual differences are between male and female birds, it's worth it for that alone.

Get a bird feeder and get the Stokes guide, it's a great combination.

Bird Illustrations at their Best.......2007-01-10

Anyone who is interested in birds will need to have this book. Beautifully illustrated and useful. A must have.

Peterson Reference Guides: Gulls of the Americas (Peterson Reference Guides)

Average customer rating:

Simply the best gull guide.
The best book on gulls EVER!
Premier Gull Guide
Valuable information but may be hard to digest
Wow! So much information, so many pictures.

Peterson Reference Guides: Gulls of the Americas (Peterson Reference Guides)
Jon Dunn , and Steve N.G. Howell
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Albatrosses, Petrels and Shearwaters of the World (Princeton Field Guides)
The Shorebird Guide
The Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition (National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America)
Birds of Peru (Princeton Field Guides)

ASIN: 0618726411

Book Description

Covering the thirty-six species of gulls that occur in North and South America, this unparalleled resource includes detailed identification information for the many plumages gulls display as they mature. More than just a field guide, this large and ambitious volume is the definitive reference work on gulls of the Americas. A group of birds that is popular among birdwatchers, gulls can be frustrating to identify, as they can take up to four years to mature, with different plumages each year. With 1,160 photographs illustrating these plumages, and descriptions by two of North Americaâ€™s top gull experts, this new reference guide is the authoritative word on gulls.

Customer Reviews:

Simply the best gull guide........2007-09-11

This is a heavy book, so it will not be practical to carry as a field guide. Other than that, this is by far the most up to date, best researched guide to Gulls that you will find today.

I am an avid bird watcher and hopeless collector of bird guides, and this one sets the bar for a family specific guide. Outstanding photos and precise text make this guide a must have for any serious watcher of Gulls.

The best book on gulls EVER!.......2007-08-24

This is the best book on gulls ever! There are at least ten full color, extremely detailed photos for each species. On the captions for the photo it names the bird and gives what state of its life it is at, it describes the photo of the bird, and it gives the location, and date of the photo and the photographers name. On some photos there is a gull in the background and so that adds a little test to the book.

The species accounts are exquisite, and the range maps are amazingly detailed.

I recommend this book to every birder! Especially those of you who wish to go looking for rarities.

This book is a must for beginner birders and experts too!

Premier Gull Guide.......2007-08-05

This book is great for gull fanciers; it's exhaustively researched and presented but heavy to use in the field.

Valuable information but may be hard to digest.......2007-07-07

"Gulls of the Americas" is packed with information, but this book isn't much fun. I suspect only hard-core gull watchers will want to use this book.

There is a very useful introductory section, and the authors encourage their readers to study the introduction before moving on to the rest of the book, but I suspect many readers will find their eyes glazing over before they get very far. The main part of the book is divided into a 251 page section of photos and a 192 page section of species accounts. The photos do a good job of illustrating the various plumages of the gulls, but the photos are small, and aren't really a lot of fun to look at. The species accounts are thorough and clearly written but rather dry. The photos and species accounts are separate, and it can be awkward to go back and forth between them. I expect this book will come in handy when I come across gulls that are difficult to identify, but I wish the people who put together the book had made it more user-friendly.

Wow! So much information, so many pictures........2007-06-10

Gull identification is complicated and difficult. This book is jam packed full of many, many details about Gull identification. It has exceeded my expectations with its wealth of information and excellent photos. The authors are clearly experts and have dedicated a significant portion of their lives to the sometimes esoteric and always intriguing world of gull identification. The book also provides an excellent introduction (which is a must read if you are to get the most out of it) that gives a background on the details of molt cycles, feather tract terms, etc...

This book is not a field guide, it is truly a reference guide as the title clearly states. It is a large format hardcover (with dust jacket) book printed on high quality glossy paper. This is a book that you study at home and maybe keep in the car as a reference.

In summary it is a worthy addition to any birders library and a book that would make its namesake (that is Roger not Rodger) Tory Peterson proud.

Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion: A Comprehensive Resource for Identifying North American Birds

Average customer rating:

Great companion guide...
A good companion is hard to find
Poorly Cut Book
It is Essential
Field guide to Pete Dunne's writing tone

Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion: A Comprehensive Resource for Identifying North American Birds
Peter Dunne
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Outdoors & Nature | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Science | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Shorebird Guide
The Art of Pishing: How to Attract Birds by Mimicking Their Calls (Book & Audio CD)
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition (National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America)
Hawks from Every Angle: How to Identify Raptors In Flight
Identify Yourself: The 50 Most Common Birding Identification Challenges

ASIN: 0618236481

Book Description

In this book, bursting with more information than any field guide could hold, the well-known author and birder Pete Dunne introduces readers to the "Cape May School," or GISS, method of identification, which focuses on a bird holistically, giving more weight to the general impression of the bird than to specific field marks. After determining the most likely possibilities by considering such factors as habitat and season, the birder uses characteristics such as size, shape, behavior, flight pattern, and vocalizations to identify a bird. The book provides an arsenal of additional hints and helpful clues to guide a birder when, even after a review of a field guide, the identification still hangs in the balance. This supplement to field guides shares the knowledge and skills that expert birders bring to identification challenges.

Customer Reviews:

Great companion guide..........2007-07-07

This is a wonderful addition to The Peterson Field Guide - greater in-depth information regarding habitat and plumage.

A good companion is hard to find.......2007-02-24

This field guide companion looks stark at first, with no pictures, but that is part of the point. With many fine field guides available, this is meant to supplement them, and in no way replace them. The necessarily brief descriptions of a field guide are nicely fleshed out in this volume, which is best suited to browsing after returning from the field, or for thumbing through when you can't get out into the field. The best addition to my stay-at-home birding library since Ehrlich, Dobkin & Wheye's "The Birder's Handbook."

Poorly Cut Book.......2007-02-23

Peter Dunnes unique comments, perspective & observations make this book interesting to read yet very informative. His approach to identification gives you additional yet simplistic help.

I did not look at the condition of the book until the return time had expired. I was disappointed that the last section of the Index was cut improperly. I could not find a contact email to complain. The book should be replaced. If you read this I hope you will arrange to replace the book.

It is Essential.......2007-01-19

This companion to my field guides has no pictures other than word pictures. It uses GISS (General Impression of Size and Shape) style of birding. Why is this important I can give a recent example. Here in New York City we had a Common Loon on the Reservoir. One birder reported a male and a female Common Loon, but was incorrect. It turned out to be the Common Loon and a Double Crested Cormorant. The difference was very obvious by using GISS but the mistaken birder was using feather birding and the bird was far away. This is a very useful guide. I would ask readers to read a sample page and decide for themselfs

Field guide to Pete Dunne's writing tone.......2006-12-16

Excellent and valuable book, no doubt. And Pete Dunne is a pretty nice guy (I've birded with him).

However...his writing *does* have this smarmy tone. Yes, he probably *does* know everything, but his writing makes you sure you understand that. Hard to pick a specific page since I don't have the book in front of me. But pick almost any page -- through Amazon's random thingie? -- and you may see what I mean. However, he does manage to slyly insult two famous, but dead, birders in the introduction! Nice. (NOT)

In addition, will someone puh-leeze tell Pete Dunne that his continued use of the word "noisome" to describe loud birds is wrong, wrong, wrong?

The word means "offensive," and generally implies malodorous or stinky. It does NOT mean loud!

My guess: No one dares edit his work for fear they'll disturb his distinctive know-it-all style. Sigh.

P.S. I found at least one factual error. In New England, at least, Yellow Warblers are generally found singing high in trees, though rarely at the top, not "close to the ground" as Dunne has it.

P.P.S. To correct a previous post, this book is not meant as a field guide but as an added resource that covers stuff field guides cannot show you.

Florida's Birds: A Field Guide And Reference

Average customer rating:

Great for photographers and casual observers
Looks good so far
2nd edition updates everything!
Highly recommended for Florida ornithologists and bird lovers
Disappointed in information--returned book

Florida's Birds: A Field Guide And Reference
David S. Maehr , and Herbert W., II Kale
Manufacturer: Pineapple Press (FL)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

National Geographic Field Guides to Birds: Florida (NG Field Guide to Birds)
National Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida
Florida's Fabulous Waterbirds: Their Stories
Florida Bird Watching: A Year-Round Guide
Smithsonian Handbooks: Birds of Florida (Smithsonian Handbooks)

ASIN: 1561643351

Book Description

The Second Edition of Florida's Birds is a major event for Florida birders, new and old. Each section of the book is updated, and 30 new species are added. Also added are range maps for certain species and color coded guides to months when the bird is present and/or breeding in Florida. Now with color throughout, each bird is illustrated three times: with the text about the bird, in the index listing, and on a plate with similar species for help in identification. Thus, Florida's Birds is now an even better field guide. Unlike the other books available on the birds of Florida, Florida's Birds is also a reference that goes beyond its usefulness in the field. Sections on bird study and bird feeding provide practical advice for enjoying Florida's birds; and sections on bird habitats, threatened and endangered species, exotic species, and bird conservation will assist the reader in understanding the ecological and cultural landscapes that have created one of the world's unique avifaunas.

Customer Reviews:

Great for photographers and casual observers.......2007-08-23

I got this book for the purpose of identifying species while reviewing photographs I've taken. I haven't used it in the field (yet) but it has become an excellent reference guide. There is a lot of information, the decriptions are well-written and the sections about Florida ecology and environments are also helpful. I'm a native Floridian and I found myself frequently learning new things while reading this book. I highly recommend this book.

Looks good so far.......2006-03-27

I got this book to take along on a trip to Florida planned for a couple of months from now, so at this point it's too early to say exactly how helpful it is. However, based upon previous trips to Florida, it seems to be pretty good so far (although there are two birds I've previously seen that I still couldn't find in this guide).

2nd edition updates everything!.......2006-03-19

Florida-bound or resident bird-watchers won't want to be without the second edition of a classic state- specific field guide, FLORIDA'S BIRDS: A FIELD GUIDE AND REFERENCE. This is no reprint edition: each section of FLORIDA'S BIRDS has been updated and thirty new species added, along with range maps for species and color-coded guides to month of presence. Each bird is illustrated not once but three times, text discusses habitats and habits, and sections on bird study and feeding provide in-depth detail. A 'must' handbook for any with Florida roots.

Highly recommended for Florida ornithologists and bird lovers.......2006-01-10

Now in a newly revised and expanded second edition, Florida's Birds: A Field Guide And Reference is a wonderful guide for Florida birdwatchers. Every section has been updated, and 30 new species added. A brief introduction and overview leads into the species-by-species listings that include the names, description, habitat, range, life cycle summary, and a color-coded at-a-glance list of the months each species can be found within Florida. Perhaps most captivating of all is illustrator Karl Karalus' full-color renditions of each bird species, in a meticulous and lifelike manner reminiscent of Audubon himself, making Florida's Birds a delight to simply page through. Highly recommended for Florida ornithologists and bird lovers.

Disappointed in information--returned book.......2005-12-14

Eventhough I may not have really saved any money, I did not see any point in keeping this book once I received and reviewed it. I ordered for my son in law who lives on Fl coast and loves to fish coastal waters. He wanted a book to give information about the birds he saw then. I was hoping the size and information in this one would make it good for his purpose. This was not the case, however.
More than half of the book is concerned with ecological and birdwatching information--that is just not what he was looking for. I was disappointed in the size of photographs of the birds, but when so much is given to other aspects not that much room for bird information is left.
The quality of construction seemed good, but the spine is fairly narrow and the book needs to be opened fully to read all the text. It is possible that repeated readings may cause some pages to come loose.
On the hunt again

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