Read Online Birds of Western North America A Photographic Guide Princeton Field Guides Paul Sterry Brian E Small 9780691134284 Books
Combining informative and accessible text, up-to-date maps, and--above all--stunning color photographs, this is the best and most lavishly illustrated photographic guide to the birds of western North America. All of the images have been carefully selected to convey both the sheer beauty and the key identification features of each bird, and many of the photos are larger than those found in other guides. Wherever possible, a variety of plumages are pictured, providing visual coverage and usefulness matching any artwork-illustrated field guide. And many of the images are state-of-the-art digital photographs by Brian Small, one of North America's finest bird photographers. These pictures, many seen here for the first time, reproduce a previously unimaginable level of detail. Finally, the ranges of nearly all species are shown on maps from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, the authority on North American birding. New and experienced birders alike will find this guide indispensable the clear layout will help novices easily identify the birds they see, while the superb photographs will help seasoned birders confirm identifications.
- The best, most lavishly illustrated photographic guide to the region's birds
- Larger color photos than most other field guides
- Fresh contemporary design--clear, easy-to-use, and attractive
- Informative, accessible, and authoritative text
- Range maps from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
- Covers entire western half of mainland North America (excluding Mexico) and the arctic and subarctic territorial islands of the U.S. and Canada (excluding Hawaii)
Read Online Birds of Western North America A Photographic Guide Princeton Field Guides Paul Sterry Brian E Small 9780691134284 Books
"fantastic book for bird ID, especially for those starting out... nice photos and descriptions but not overwhelming. Its not as comprehensive as some in the descriptions dept but perfect for me and I've been birding for about a year now. Great as one of several reference books. I just love the photographs as opposed to drawings tho of course not every bird matches the photos precisely"
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Birds of Western North America A Photographic Guide Princeton Field Guides Paul Sterry Brian E Small 9780691134284 Books Reviews :
Birds of Western North America A Photographic Guide Princeton Field Guides Paul Sterry Brian E Small 9780691134284 Books Reviews
- What a beautiful book! The photos are amazing! Big crisp photos, NOT drawings! Photos cover males, females and juveniles, and also seasonal changes in plumage. Don't skip the introduction. Not only does it cover the "How to Use This Book" info, but there is a lot more information regarding habitat, identification, and migration that I found very educational.
There are little head shots of birds in the upper corner that make it easier to rapidly get to the correct section without having to read the header.
To start, I chose a few birds that I was already well familiar with and checked out the info. The descriptions were well written. It would be easy for even a beginning birder to pick up this book and start identifying.
There were also "Observation tips" about when to best see the different species.
My only complaint is the range maps. I can't say this for all of the maps, but some of the common birds in my area just aren't shown to be here. I first noticed this with the Eurasian Collared Dove. These birds have been here in Oregon for so long and in such great numbers that they are considered a "nuisance bird". However, in looking at the range map, it doesn't show them to be anywhere near Oregon. This isn't an issue with me since I know that the map is wrong, but I wonder about those folks who may not recognize the bird. If you were trying to identify one of them here, and happened to glance at the range map, you would instantly assume you must be looking at the wrong entry and try looking elsewhere in the book. Whenever I am trying to identify a bird, I use all of the information to determine if I am looking at the correct entry. My only advice is the advice given to me when I started bird id never rely on just one guide. I have 6 different bird guides and sometimes I have to use them all to make an identification.
This is a great book to just sit and peruse. It's like having a cross between a field guide and a coffee table book. - It's Western, but perhaps also covers (most of) the Great plains. Most books divide the country into East and West using the Rockies. This book does not define East and West. You can only guess by the species included and the range maps.
If You are in Omaha or Kansas City, you might miss a few warblers with this book, but most of the birds you find will be here. Pileated Woodpecker is, as it stretches East to West in Canada. And Western Canada as well as Alaska are well covered.
A few not really rare birds are still missing, you will need to get Sibley or National Geographic for the rare vagrants. - I'm not a 'professional' bird watcher; I enjoy recognizing and following birds that I encounter at home and in my travels. This book is very helpful in naming birds unfamiliar to me. The photographs are so much better than artists' renditions in most other bird books because they are, well, photos. The characteristics of a specific bird are immediately recognizable and that's what I'm looking for in a birding guide.
Some reviews have seemed to quibble about one thing or another that to me are immaterial; here are clear and accurate images of birds. When we traveled to Arizona and came across birds that weren't familiar, it was so easy to pull out "Birds of Western North America" and identify them quickly. I like the small photos at the top of the page that help to quickly find a category of bird based on similar physical characteristics.
Sorry, I'm not an expert, but enjoy the book. Great comprehensive representation of western birds and easy to use. - Great field guide for bird enthusiasts. Pictures big enough to show finer detail, easier for identification. Seasonal residences are documented. Juvenile/Adult, Male/Female differences clearly laid out. Bird songs described in form of onomatopoeia. Well organized index pages. Very useful for bird watchers just getting into the hobby. Love it! Been using it for about 6 years now and would highly recommend it!
- It's so difficult trying to pick out a good book on birds. I wanted something that would give me an abundance of information on the bird (habitat, migration pattern, etc.) while also making it easy to identify them in the wild. This book successfully provides all of that. The pictures are great! They include both male and female when applicable, as well as juvenile versus adult. The birds are categorized by type which is really helpful if you have a general idea of what you're looking at but want to identify the exact species. I highly recommend this book for all bird lovers!
- This book is great!
I am an avid intermediate birder and I like to use this book in conjunction with Sibley or National Geographic so I have artists' renderings and photos side-by-side. It really helps when the art alone just doesn't match up with what you see.
This book is well organized and has everything you could ask for in a field guide, more detailed than Kaufman's guide, without the hefty size and weight of Stokes' book (which is also excellent, though not my first choice in the field). Hope that helps you choose the book that's right for you. Maybe this is it? - fantastic book for bird ID, especially for those starting out... nice photos and descriptions but not overwhelming. Its not as comprehensive as some in the descriptions dept but perfect for me and I've been birding for about a year now. Great as one of several reference books. I just love the photographs as opposed to drawings tho of course not every bird matches the photos precisely
- Spectacular book! Hundreds of gorgeous photo's for those wanting to paint birds. Good explanations of habitats of different species. BUY this book --you won't be disappointed! Rec'd book in excellent condition with fast service!