Rating: 
Summary: The One We've Been Waiting For!
Review: Attention, all North American birders. The ultimate field guide has arrived--Ken Kaufman's new Focus Guide to the Birds of North America! Not since Roger Tory Peterson's landmark guides has one book combined all the essential elements a birder needs to quickly and accurately make field identifications. Previous guides have used either artists' color plates or photographs; each has its pros and cons. But the Kaufman Guide's use of computer-enhanced and edited photographs gives us the best of both worlds and works marvelously, now that the technology makes it possible. The ranges maps, in addition to providing the usual winter and breeding distribution, distinguish between areas where species are common and rare. They also include migration ranges, which are rarely pictured in other field guides. Best of all, Mr. Kaufman has put all the essential facts and photos into a compact 384-page paperback that will easily fit in a coat or pants pocket. While no one book can possibly provide everything a birder might want, this one, for its size, gives one the most important info. For birds that are usually seen in flight, like pelagics, raptors and waterfowl, there are additional poses. And for those especially nasty challenges, such as juvenile gulls, fall warblers, and immature sparrows, there are also extra photos. If you can only afford one bird book or don't care to carry a liibrary everytime you go out in the field, this is the book for you! I've been birding for nearly half a century, and this is now the one I'll take everytime!
Rating:
Summary: Vivid descriptions and photos
Review: Dueling bird books occur when two notable and wonderful guides illustrated by fine artists are produced in the same season: Kaufman's competes with Sibley's bird drawings, providing a more compact issue and vivid descriptions and photos to provide tips on how to recognize birds.
Rating: 
Summary: Innovative and modern
Review: Field Guides of Birds come in two different forms and each has its supporters. Some folks prefer those showing reality using one or more photographs. Others prefer those based on paintings that can be made to highlight key features. Kaufman's Field Guide attempts to blend the two approaches by using digitally enhanced photos as its basis of identification. And they are among the best photos I've seen for this purpose. But I have to admit that they don't quite do it for me; there is a degree of artificiality to the photos that is unsatisfying. The paintings of Peterson and Sibley are, to my eyes, more useful in helping me understand the key elements of shape, plumage, and other characteristics. Anyone who is familiar with other Field Guides will also have difficulty with Kaufman's non-standard order of images (e.g., owls and hawks grouped together). It makes finding a given group of birds difficult until or unless you become very familiar with this book. But there is much that is good as well. The multi-colored range maps, using a variety of scales, clearly impart more information than their counterparts in many other Guides. And the Family introductions are full of useful tidbits that help you understand common characteristics of a group of related birds. It was certainly Kaufman's misfortune that Sibley's Field Guide was published so close on the heels of his for it makes comparisons inevitable. Viewed by itself, Kaufman's book would be applauded for its innovation and the wealth of information it contains. But when compared to Sibley, it is but a distant second-best. I would consider it a welcome addition to my bookshelf, but not my first choice as either a pocketable Field Guide or a home/car reference book (I'd choose National Geographic and Sibley, respectively, for those roles). Nice to have, but not a "must-have".
Rating:
Summary: A great book for the casual birdwatcher
Review: I bought this book a year ago so I could identify the birds coming to my backyard feeder, and I still keep it by my sofa. The illustrations are very good, the descriptions clear, and the maps showing the range of each of the birds very useful. I've been able to identify every bird passing through my yard, and even enjoy browsing the pitcures/write-ups of those birds I likely will never see.
Rating:
Summary: Love it and recommend it. Great novice field guide
Review: I grew up with an aunt who loved Birding. When I was a child she gave me a Golden Books Guide. I havent birded since and decided to buy a new book and compare the two.. Ken's guide blows it away..Many have opinions about the advantage/disadvantage of photographs or paintings, but after having the book I'll choose Ken s photos every time. He did a superb job with this book and photos. I always hated how the books with painted images appeared brighter in its colors than the birds in real life. I went thru most every pocket sized guide outthere and this book was my #1 pick. It has a tougher Flexicover than most all others and the color coded pages are quick and easy for a novice. The picture set ups are great and not jumbled/jammed together as other books. Granted this is not a desk manual so it only has the minumum required info on each bird, but thats all you need for a pocket field guide.
Rating:
Summary: My new favorite...
Review: I have in the past used both Peterson's and National Geographic, but this book has quickly replaced them as the one I take out into the field. Kauffman has gotten past the traditional problems with photographic guides - while retaining their best features. The single page index at the end makes it much faster to look up birds.
Rating:
Summary: My new favorite...
Review: I have in the past used both Peterson's and National Geographic, but this book has quickly replaced them as the one I take out into the field. Kauffman has gotten past the traditional problems with photographic guides - while retaining their best features. The single page index at the end makes it much faster to look up birds.
Rating:
Summary: Best Organized Field Guide Ever
Review: I have tried carrying a variety of field guides over the past 20 years, but I always returned to the Golden guide because of the maps and organization. That is, until the Kenn Kaufman book arrived. This guide is perfect when you're in the field and your in a hurry. The most helpful page is the very last one, which is a summarized index. I love this guide, and I'm buying it for all my non-birding friends who are always asking me to id birds at their feeders. Anyone at any level of birding will love this!
Rating:
Summary: best field guide
Review: i own several bird guides and this is by far my very favorite. i love having the maps with the descriptions. i also like the notations about song and calls, which have helped me ID birds long before i have seen them. if you have to choose only one guide, i'd recommend this one.
Rating:
Summary: best field guide
Review: i own several bird guides and this is by far my very favorite. i love having the maps with the descriptions. i also like the notations about song and calls, which have helped me ID birds long before i have seen them. if you have to choose only one guide, i'd recommend this one.
| 
