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9th out of 75 books
—
11 voters
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America
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 millionand the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America will be the essential reference for field...more
Paperback, Fourth Edition, 480 pages
Published
November 7th 2006
by National Geographic
(first published 1999)
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This is one of the most amazing books for birdwatchers. I used it for all of my ornithology classes and learned so much about identifying birds by both their markings and behavior. I had this unbelievable teacher, who had been a birdwatcher for all his life, and he went through the guide, page by page, and he showed us slides and talked about each species with a depth of knowledge that was devotional. I learned how to tell all the different gulls apart at Ocean Beach (San Francisco) and saw a re...more
This is my trusty battered, mud stained bird book and I love it. The pictures are detailed, the descriptions short and concise, and there's enough space in the margins for me to write sighting notations.
My favorite birding guide book. It has great pictures and descriptions. The blurbs with the range maps is fantastic and it has a lot of incidental species to South Texas (at least) that a lot of guide books lack since they are not "common enough", I guess.
There's a handy checklist in the back if you want to check off species as you see them, but since I'm a much more casual birder, I just write in the white space next to the bird where and when I saw it for the first time.
There's a handy checklist in the back if you want to check off species as you see them, but since I'm a much more casual birder, I just write in the white space next to the bird where and when I saw it for the first time.
This reference is great. In past editions it was difficult to find specific birds, but the combination of durable flap index and thumb tabs for the most frequent bird families (hawks, warblers, sparrows, etc.) make it super easy to use.
The written descriptions are fairly brief so the focus is on the drawings. The drawings are detailed and mostly include those of the different races, juveniles, and birds in flight.
The written descriptions are fairly brief so the focus is on the drawings. The drawings are detailed and mostly include those of the different races, juveniles, and birds in flight.
We use this as a back up guide that is handy for those visiting both coasts of the United States since it contains the birds on both sides of the Rocky Mountains, a divide in the country that has lead to different species of birds like Meadowlarks and Bluebirds. It has good details on the hawks, too.
This is not a typical book from goodreads, but I have read it and used it extensively when I needed it. This book was very helpful in solving some of the harder identifications.
I use this book when going birding with the Audubon or to identify birds when camping or traveling. I keep track of my Audubon bird list in it. It is a good guide.
This is a great field guide, but sometimes I have a little trouble identifying the real bird from the drawings, but at least they have all stages of a birds life
Invaluable to any birder...open it countless times during the year especially helpful identifying hawks and warblers. One of my Top 10!
Reference book with lots of pictures, migratory patterns, approximate sizes, ranges.
great book to have on hand when you see birds and need the names
Jun 18, 2009
Mike
is currently reading it
Great reference for bird watchers
Excellent reference.
Also Awesome!!!
Feb 12, 2013
Sadiq
is currently reading it
what is wild life
BEST BOOK EVER!
Can't live without this one--it goes everywhere with me. I've since updated and bought the 4th and 5th editions, but all of my birding notes are still in this very worn copy. An excellent field guide, in my opinion. I supplement it with The Sibley Guide to Birds, which stays at home while I drag the Ntl. Geographic guide with me.
Great bird guide. This one got me through my Vertebrates of BC course at school. The pictures are drawn, with different variations included when necessary (male, female, summer, winter, etc.). Birds are separated by family (gulls, finches, owls, etc.) Colour coded distribution map is also included for most species, very handy.
A very detailed book of birds. I don't know enough about the field to know how it compares to it's competitors, but the book does everything I want it to do. It has really come in handy with identifying all of those birds eating out of my birdfeeder.
I wish I had the newest edition of this book. I've been carrying around this edition for almost 20 years and it is the best guide that I've come across. I have several other guides and I use them to complement this one.
my field guide of choice. fairly life-like renderings of the species with gendered, age-specific and seasonal plumages included. most importantly, small enough to carry without being burdensome.
Jul 23, 2008
Valerie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
All birders
Recommended to Valerie by:
Debbie
Between this book and Newman's Birds of Southern Africa are contained my life list and viewing notes. I would be lost without this excellent reference book.
Oct 31, 2008
Kathie
added it
I want to look birds up by state and color and size--this is a little more challenging than that, but it's very helpful. And it makes me feel smart :)
Quite the tome to carry around. A good reference, that I have used when travelling outside of the eastern US, but difficult to use in the field.
Still my field guide of choice, well the 3rd edition is, in spite of new editions and Sibley's. This is the book I like to carry around.
This is the bible of bird watching. I was turned on to bird watching when I married Kevin and I love it.
Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Second Edition by National Geographic Society (1999)
Excellent descriptions but I prefer more photographs. I have trouble with only illustrations.
Great field guide. The illustrations are top notch and help with bird identification.
The photos and illustrations in this book are really inspiring for my own drawing.
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