Rating: 
Summary: Focus Guide to Birds of North America by Kenn Kaufman
Review: The Focus Guide by Kenn Kaufman is an excellent resource. The photographs are clear and easy to understand. The abbreviated index on the last page makes finding birds in the book easy and quick. He has done a fine job.
Rating: 
Summary: A bit disappointing
Review: The much-balleyhooed technique of using computer-enhanced photographs for identification is, in my view, pretty much a bust. They still look like photographs, indeed somewhat artificial ones. Like unenhanced photographs, and unlike paintings, similar birds are often not in similar poses, which makes identification much harder. I find Kaufman's illustrations much inferior to the paintings in Peterson or the National Geographic guide. (I haven't yet seen the new Sibley guide.)The text is often interesting, but I miss the "similar species" section which Peterson pioneered and which works so well. Kaufmann highlights important information with a little pink triangle, which is helpful. The range maps are excellent, better than those in any other guide I've seen. Especially helpful is the inclusion of migration routes, usually omitted. Some have commented negatively about Kaufmann's unconventional ordering of his entries. He attempts to group birds which might be mistaken for one another, which is admirable; but the result is sometimes confusing. His section on "typical songbirds" includes crows and chickadees, hardly similar species. Most birders are used to guides arranged in approximate taxonomic order, and I think Kaufmann is about 60 years too late to change that mindset. His visual table of contents is another creative idea, but the photos are less helpful than paintings or indeed silhouettes would be. The "quick index" on the last page, locating birds by page number and a color-code which is found on the edge of the pages, is a nice touch. All in all, this is an interesting effort with some good points, but I doubt I will ever use it in place of Peterson or NGS.
Rating:
Summary: For "Backyard Bird Watching"
Review: This is a handy book to have right beside the chair you watch your birds from..easy to identify the the bird that has just landed. Well written articles on each species, just enough, to know, and not too much information to take in all at once. I enjoy this book, using it often.
Rating:
Summary: A great guide for beginners
Review: This is a magnificent guide, especially for beginners. Expert birders may prefer the encyclopedic guide by David Sibley, another excellent piece of work. This guide has a number of advantages as a guide: It easily fits into your pocket It has a handy thumb index, once you get used to it It has a comprehensive index inside the back cover The photos are superb, and the color matches better than any other guide I know. I highly recommend this guide.
Rating:
Summary: A new approach to a field guide...
Review: This is an excellent book.If you are looking to buy a bird guide for yourself or as a gift, you can't go wrong with this.The problem of buying a bird guide is that there are so many to choose from;especially if the buyer has not been birding for several years.Personally,I would recommend this for a fairly new birder as opposed to Peterson's guide for one reason alone.this book covers all of North America.Peterson has one for the East and one for the West;and while if you only want your guide to use in either the East or West,that's not too bad,but if you are in the center of the continent, or plan to travel,you'll need both.So,simple ,why buy 2 when 1 will do?The Golden covers all N,A. but does not have the "arrows" pointing out the best identification features.I also feel the computer enhanced pictures are better;but that can be a matter of preference.The single page index at the back of Kenn's book will be a big help to new or average birders.Either of Kaufman,s Peterson,s or Golden are excellent to start birding.The National Geographic and Sibleys are also excellent;but a better choice for a more experienced (5+ years).Up until Kaufman's book,very few birders liked photographs ,as opposed to drawings,but this book has changed all that.
After saying all that,and it would be easy to go on comparing these guides,in the final analiyis ,you can't go too far wrong.If you or the person you are buying the book for takes birding serious you'll probably buy all the guides mentioned before too long.There are good points going for all of them.
Rating: 
Summary: Birds of North America A New Focus on the Field Kaufman
Review: This is not a book for beginners. You must know the type of bird you are seeing, from Cuckoos to the common sparrow, before you can identify through the differant sections. It is definately not a book for children. I am returning mine for something simpler for my grandson. Mary Anne Sutphin
Rating:
Summary: This Book is Great!
Review: This is one of the best field guides written, along the the Peterson Guide, and the new Sibley Guide. It is the only guide with actual pictures of birds that is worth even looking at. Kenn Kauffman is one of the greatest birders of all time. I would highly recommend this book for anybody that's even remotely interested in birds.
Rating:
Summary: The Grail of Bird Guides
Review: Throw away all of your field guides and buy the Kaufman Focus Guide. It is all here in a clear and concise format. The computer-doctored photos are outstanding. The habitat and range maps are large and easy to see. I really like the colored tab format for various bird groups that ties back to the title page. I also like the index summary on the last page.
Rating:
Summary: Grandiosa Guia Ilustrada sobre las Aves Norteamericanas
Review: Un gran libro, perfectamente ilustrado con magnificas fotografias a todo color, tamaño practico para llevarlo de viaje.
| 
