National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest

National Audubon Society Field Guides

by Peter Alden

Filled with concise descriptions and stunning photographs, the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest belongs in the home of every Pacific Northwest resident and in the suitcase or backpack of every visitor. This compact volume contains:

An easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the region's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more;

A complete overview of the Pacific Northwest's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns and night sky;

An extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others.

The guide is packed with visual information -- the 1,500 full-color images include more than 1,300 photographs, 14 maps, and 16 night-sky charts, as well as 150 drawings explaining everything from geological processes to the basic features of different plants and animals.

For everyone who lives or spends time in Washington or Oregon, there can be no finer guide to the area's natural surroundings than the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest.

Genres: Reference, Nature, Nonfiction, Field Guides, Birds, Plants, Science

448 pages, Paperback

First published May 26, 1998

Reviews

[Connor]

Skimmed not read.

Observations:
+ Dated — which limits usefulness or certain information.
+ Awkward size & weight — too large to fit into a jacket pocket or fanny pack; too heavy to justify carrying given its limited textual or visual information on any single topic (bird, geographic area, etc.)
+ Limited information — doesn’t contain enough information to be a useful reference on any given topic, especially when compared to available iOS apps.

Skip the book. Download the Wikipedia app, a mapping app, and your favorite birding app and you’ll be far better off for less than the price of this field guide.

[Jeanne]

Good, portable reference guide. Covers: birds, animals, trees, flowers, insects, weather etc. Area covered is largely Washington and Oregon.

On recommended reading list for upcoming British Columbia, Canada. Not a useful reference for this trip.

[Jeni]

Very educational. Like to refer to it often.

[Cindy M]

For some reason, I never use this book. Maybe it's too far-reaching? I don't care for the layout? Not sure.

[Siskiyou-Suzy]

I don't know if it's weird to read this front-to-back, but I did, and I loved it. Despite living in the Pacific Northwest all my life (besides a short, less than one year stint in Georgia and a miserable, military-forced two-year stint in El Paso), I know little about it. Part of that is because I'm a bookworm, and I like to stay inside. But if I do have to go outside, I want northwestern landscapes all the way. I want moss-covered trees (and lichen-covered outdoor furniture, and mountainous wildflowers and verdant hills and evergreen-covered slopes and ferns and mushrooms along the path and in your yard and up the peak and rocky beaches and rain rain rain.) I don't want tropical, I certainly don't want southwestern. I want the lush, damp greenery of home.

So I've started paying attention to nature, and this book helped quite a bit. A ton, actually. It starts with an overview of the region before turning into a reference guide. I learned so much from the essays spread throughout, and a bit from the much more concisely written reference guide. I've identified a few plants and animals with it, but sometimes it's easier just to do some online searches. Having never had much interest in nature before, it's exciting to identify even the most common of animals.

I'd want to read the other regions' books before doing any extensive traveling. Really, these books are a must-read for whatever region you live in, assuming you didn't grow up with the type of parent who taught you all this stuff merely by incorporating it into your day-to-day. But if you don't know your region, get the relevant Audubon Society Field Guide. They're amazing.

[Katie]

I have the First Edition May 1998 First Printing book and have used it on nearly every trip and every hike I have taken in the PNW. It is not comprehensive but provides the essentials that gives you the tools if you need to do further research. Great photography and nicely written. ANother book that I have read front to back multiple times just because it was so fun and so varied.

[Melissa]

When working for washington State Parks, I found this to be the best field guide in the most user friendly format. It is easy to carry, and gives descriptions of plants, animals, and birds all in one guide. Good stuff.

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

This field guide covers it all: bugs, fish, birds, mammals, flower, you name it, if it lives in the Pacific Northwest (and isn't too obscure), it's in here!
This guide also includes maps and information about national parks and nature reserves.
Highly recommended!

[Nancy]

This is a good, concise reference book to carry with you when out hiking, etc. as it contains information on all sorts of wildlife and plants.

[Ally]

I want one!!! I lost mine. :(

[Kate Alexis]

I thought this book was really informative but I didn't think that all the photographs were as great as they could've been. There could have been more specific information.

[Lisa]

these regional Audubon guides are an excellent companion when hiking, traveling, etc.

[sasasa]

Concise and handy. the boys really like it too.

[Adam]

not quite as complete and comprehensive as I'd like but nice travel book