Rating: 
Summary: Great for field and laboratory!
Review: I've been using the "Nat Geo" guide at my lab table since it first came out. Although I have yet to see the new edition, with Dunn's expertise this already useful guide can only get better.The comprehensive coverage of geographic/subspecific plumages has been of immense help to me while working feather cases. I recommend this book to every field officer and wildlife inspector responsible for making identifications of North American birds.
Rating: 
Summary: Has some good aspects.
Review: I've had this field guide in my possession for quite a while. While it does have some good features, I still don't take it along with me into the field. The reason is that I don't feel totally confident with the full-color illustrations. I don't think that the illustrations are bad; however, some are unrealistic. That aside, I have respect for other facets of this field guide. This field guide covers all of the birds of North America--exotic species are also included. The introduction is also quite informative, and there's a section of it that points out the various parts of a bird. The text information and range maps are on the left page, while the illustrations are on the right page. Habitat backgrounds are usually used in conjunction with the illustrations, too, while individual species in varying plumages are also represented. The text information includes the description, habitat, vocalizations, scientific name, length, and behavior. The average wingspan of large birds in flight is also included. There are seperate sections that display illustrations of ducks in flight, shorebirds in flight, gulls in flight, and female hawks in flight. The index of bird species in the back of the field guide can be used as a checklist for the species identified. A check-off box is situated next to each common-name entry for this purpose. Even though I don't take this field guide with me whenever I go birdwatching, I still find it to be a helpful back-up reference at home when I need to glean some additional information.
Rating:
Summary: The Only Field Guide I Take With Me!
Review: I've owned each of the three editions of this excellent guide and consider it to be the best on the market. As a professional biologist, I know that when I travel throughout the country, I need only bring one field guide with me, this one!
Rating:
Summary: Not A Bad Guide, But Doesn't Go With Me When I go Birding
Review: I've owned this book for a couple of years or so. It's a guide I'll refer to when I'm at home, but I don't like using it out in the field. It's a guide that I've never felt very comfortable using. There are better ones out there than this. I can't quite point my finger at what I don't like about this book. The information and maps are fine. I guess it would have to be the fact that the book's drawings don't seem as good as other guides illustrations. The book is quite large also, and not really pocket sized. My favorite illustrated guides are Roger Tory Peterson's Eastern Birds and All the Birds of North America (the drawings are more reliable in these I believe).
Rating:
Summary: Excellent. The drawings, colors, and content is great.
Review: I've taught many beginning birders using this book. The attention to detail is very nice and the different color phases are very similar. This book gives you key characteristics to look for when identifying birds. Very impressive.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best
Review: If you could only have one book to take to the field, this would be the book. I bird in Alaska and our birding adventures can be somewhat challenging so it is important to have an easy to use, complete referance handy. I have dozens of bird books, and use this the most of all. It has the photos and sketches necessary to make field identification possible and accurate.
Rating: 
Summary: Mostly fabulous
Review: Improved in every way except the paper stock. I fear this edition will not wear as well as my trusted 11-year-old, field-battered 2nd edition.
Rating:
Summary: Birders Bible
Review: Just like that holy book, you will find this excellent book by National Geographic is constantly referred to. As you would expect from any field guide, it is beautifully illustrated. That's usually not enough though to help you positively identify some species, regardless of whether you are an expert or casual birder. The field notes associated with each birds' illustration come in very handy. They give vital clues about behavior, habitat or some other factor that can help clinch the identification. Small maps showing breeding, year round and winter ranges are well placed on each page and are there to provide quick geographic checks. Helps avoid situations like this: "I just saw a Louisiana Waterthrush. Oh wait, I'm in South Florida, can't be then, it must have been a Northern." The only other way I can endorse this book is to say that I have quite a few other guides and reference books and when going out birding with my family and I say "bring the field guides" this is usually the first one grabbed.
Rating:
Summary: Still a fine work
Review: My natural history interests are mainly in botany and mycology, but I also have an interest in birding, and I own dozens of bird identification books, and this is one of my favorites. Although there may be better books for the field or for home reference now, such as the newer Sibley, Kaufmann, or Smithsonian books, this is still a good work for general identification purposes, and it's served me well for that. Since this one was written there has even been a large, Reader's Digest volume about 10 years ago that was actually pretty well done, I thought, so everybody seems to be getting into the act. As another reviewer here perceptively pointed out, the paintings in this book are more modeled and 3-dimensional looking, compared to the classic Peterson book, which look flatter and less solid. Also, the colors are more muted, and therefore more realistic to me. Both the Peterson and NG books have good field notes and tips on behavior which are useful. The 3-volume Smithsonian guides have great pictures, of course, but they're better for home use since carrying three books in the field usually isn't practical. There are other specific differences between this and the Peterson book, but others have already pointed these out here, so I'll just conclude by saying if I had to have just one guide, this would definitely be in my top 3 for the honor.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully Illustrated Guide
Review: Some reviewers have complaimed about the unrealistic illustrations in the 3rd edition. However, a quick read of the introduction will discover that this was done on purpose to highlight subtle differences between species. Others complained that it was not as good as Petersons. I think the emphasis and style is different. Both are equally useful, and should complement each other in the field. Whenever a title sets a standard, as Petersons has, dedicated users find anything that widely varies from that standard to be an annoyance. However, in many cases it just takes getting used to.
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