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Summary: National Geographic Field Guide to the North American Birds
Review: I can't say how disappointed I am with this book. I used the earlier edition for years. The problem is with the maps. NGS of all people shouldn't have this problem. The color for winter is no longer a blue streak but a series of single blue dots that you need a photographer's loupe to see. Also the text states they changed year round color to pink but my color is a burnt rust. There are new species and some birds renamed but they don't tell you what they are. The text advises to look in the index and that "see" will point out the differences but in the index "see" is also used for cross references not just a change. The paper is poorer stock and the printing of colors is way off. This looks like a slap dash project just to be able to resell the title.
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Summary: I'm not usually one to complain but.....
Review: I have been a faithful user of the second edition of the NGS birding guide. My second edition has fallen apart so I went out and purchased the third. From a coastal birders viewpoint this new edition is seriously flawed. Take for example the Ruddy Turnstone or the Black-bellied Plover. The habitat range maps and descriptions are so poor they lead the birder to believe that neither of the species frequent the Atlantic coast in winter. I believe the range maps really do show their winter range on the East Coast but the colors and printing are so poor you simply cannot tell. I do appreciate the range and depth of this guide but it does have serious flaws. NGS should immediately stop printing this new edition. It needs to be fixed and a program established to allow returns for a "fixed" version.
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Summary: THE ONE to get if you only get ONE -- THE BEST gift !!
Review: I have been birding for 20 years. My life list is a respectable 445 species in North America. While some reviewers may not carry this book around, I will guarantee you the National Geographic Society (NGS) Field Guide to the Birds of North America is the #1 choice among every birder I know. On my shelf I have a dozen guides...in fact probably every one published. This one is HANDS DOWN my favorite. What makes it so good? With due respect to Roger Tory Peterson, the illustrations and written clues in the NGS guide are unmatched. Secondly, in the 3d edition, National Geographic has demonstrated a fervent desire to keep up with the ever-changing naming conventions from the American Ornithological Union. Other guides are simply not keeping pace. If you are new to this hobby, this is THE guide. If someone told you they are interested, but they don't know where to start, this is THE guide. The one to get if you only get one. The one to use if you have many.
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Summary: Well, I thought it was good!
Review: I just read some of the reviews about this book. Although I can see the points of those more critical of it, I am in the raving camp on this one. I am an ignorant, new, but passionate bird person who pores over this book with satisfaction daily. The book contains multiple illustrations of most birds, from juvenile to adult, which are both convenient and informative, but I've found some of the colors in the drawings misrepresentative of some of the birds. For example, yesterday a bird that I'd never seen before came to my feeder and a thorough search through my book yielded zero matches. How could that be! Where was that large tannish bird with the brilliant orange, ORANGE, poof on his head? Not in my book! But he was on my feeder! Finally I concluded through the process of elimination, no other bird was even close, that my visitor was a male Red-bellied Woodpecker. (The helpful maps assisted greatly!) The drawings of these birds in my book had red markings on their heads instead of the orange markings the real birds have. However, that is my only complaint. All of the other bird identifications I have made have been certain, quick, and simple because of this book. I've often wondered if the colored areas on the maps representing where certain types of birds can be found are absolute. I just know I've seen a condor here in Virginia. In my oak tree. Out back. Not! says my bird book. That's its best feature...it shows the inexperienced the way.
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Summary: Good for juvenile birds
Review: I like how it shows more juvenile birds and goes into more detail about the various "races" or subspecies than Peterson's does. However, for shorebirds, I prefer Peterson's.
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Summary: Better than all the bird books I have
Review: I really enjoy this bird book because I can find the bird that looks like the bird at my feeder or in the bird bath or on the fence post. I don't take bird walks, etc, but I have many, many birds visit my yard year round. This is the best book I've found, and I have Audubon and Peterson as well as Reader's Digest and other bird books. I can usually locate the bird in this book.
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Summary: Good for the beginner, since the photos are clear & accurate
Review: I received this book for Mother's Day and have been very pleased with it. I have found out the names of several species that I have seen over the last few weeks. I highly recommend this book for the beginners.
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Summary: The Standard for North American Field Guides
Review: I was suprised at all the negative reviews of the third edition. This is a thorough updating of the second edition and is well done. The taxonomy and range information is up to date and accurate. This field guide goes with me everywhere. It's the best all-in-one North American guide, period.
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Summary: I'm very happy with my choice.
Review: I'm new to "birding" and simply picked what I thought might be a good book about birding, and this was the one I picked. Of course, the National Geographic name helped me decide also. I love the book, I think it's great for beginners. Contains tons of info and the illustrations are beautifully done.
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Summary: Great Field Guide
Review: I've been birding for about 5 years, and this is the book I always have with me on birding expeditions - it's small enough to portable (though not small enough for a pocket,) and the illustrations are excellent in quality. Has very nice comparison pages, showing several similar-looking species, such as ducks, hawks, gulls, and warblers. The descriptions are generally very good, and contain useful distinguishing information. Generally, I prefer drawings/paintings to actual photographs when using birding books - I've found that often times, the photographs in birding books are less than good examples of several species, especially when there are one or more variations. Also, with illustrations, the artist controls the lighting, the angle, et cetera. Since this book uses illustrations, so perhaps I'm biased toward it in that way. I have about a dozen birding field guides, and the only one I like better than this one is the Sibley; however, the extremely large size of that book prevents me from taking it on any but short trips. The NGS book here is more than sufficient for most birders, I would imagine. Another plus is that it's all the birds of the continent, period; no need to buy an Eastern/Western edition when you travel to other areas of the country. An excellent book, all around.
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