Birds of the Southwest: Arizona, New Mexico, Southern California & Southern Nevada (W.L. Moody, Jr., Natural History Series, No. 30)

Rating:
Summary: One of the best guides I've seen for birds in the Southwest
Review: This book provides color photographs, in-depth descriptions, and migration/nesting habits of many birds in the southwestern US.

Bird species include water birds, birds of prey, hummingbirds, songbirds, etc. that residents or visitors to the southwest may encounter.

The book is very well organized and is useful as a quick reference when viewing birds.

Rating:
Summary: Ouch!
Review: This is one book that can be judged by its cover: why on earth is there a Dickcissel of all things on the front of a book about the American Southwest? This sort of sloppiness recurs throughout, and is particularly irksome (and for new birders downright dangerous) in the many, many misidentified photos that illustrate the text. The bird-finding section is useless, and the author's coy suggestion that any errors in the directions given should be treated as "part of the adventure" is simply unacceptable. Keep this book out of the hands of beginners!