Smithsonian field guide to the birds of North America

Bird guides come "a dime a dozen" in a nation of bird lovers, but this new volume by ornithologist Floyd (editor, Birding) deserves its place on library shelves. Concise descriptions of all bird species in continental North America north of Mexico nest in these pages. That includes the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon off Newfoundland and others up to 200 miles offshore, but excludes birds native to Greenland, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii. The book provides full coverage of the 730 species of regular occurrence (whether widespread, range restricted, or rare, but annual). Another 209 birds classified as casuals (92), accidentals (108), or species impossible to find in the wild (9) receive briefer mention. Descriptions include a bird's habits, ecology, age-related and seasonal differences, regional forms, and vocalization. Over 2,000 well-chosen color photographs call attention to each bird's most important physical features. More than 700 range maps cover most species described. The book's crowning merit is a DVD inside the back cover with birdsongs for 138 species (a total of 587 vocalizations), recorded by the American Birding Association. Images of each bird accompany the vocalizations, which run to five and one-half hours. The DVD can be played on home computers or portable MP3 players. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All collections. K. B. Sterling formerly, Pace University

Following some general introductory material about birds, this guide describes more than 750 species. The information and code notations are those used by the American Birding Association (ABA), and readers will want to consult the introduction for help in interpreting the codes used in the species accounts. The more than 700 range maps use more colors than most bird-guide maps. Songs are briefly described and imitated as words. Molting patterns are noted along with feather condition and color variations. Size (length, wingspan, and weight) is also noted, with birds weighing less than one ounce also listed in grams. Most entries include several good photographs, usually side or three-quarter front views, with some birds shown in flight. The book is divided into groupings, with an introduction for each group: e.g., Skuas and Jaegers, Thrushes. One desirable but missing feature is some way to indicate the major field mark identification cues for each bird. A considerable amount of information is found in each entry so the print is quite small though very legible. Following the species accounts are a list of recommended resources (including Web sites), a glossary, a species checklist, and a species index. The book weighs a little over two pounds a bit on the heavy side to carry in a jacket pocket. Included with the book is a birdsong DVD with 587 MP3 files for 138 species. When the MP3 files are played, a small JPG image of the bird appears on the viewer. The number and quality of the sound files for the selected birds are quite good and will be useful to those learning calls. Libraries with field-guide collections will want to add this one because of the ABA approach to descriptive information and the DVD, which might be circulated as a separate item.--Scarth, Linda Copyright 2008 Booklist

This new Smithsonian field guide, written by Birding magazine editor Floyd, is ideal for beginners, but also has formidable resources for experienced birders. What gives this guide the most value is the included CD-ROM, with 587 songs and calls (for 138 bird species) in mp3 format. Not only are they an immense improvement on written descriptions (frequently incomprehensible), they're field-ready--just download them onto your favorite mp3 player. The text is generally thorough, but the focus is on images; each bird's entry is accompanied by at least two photographs and often more, showing specimens in flight, variations in coloring, and differences among males, females and juveniles. Compared with similar guides from National Geographic, Floyd's has considerably less textual description, helpful in identifying rarer birds and hybrids, but the strikingly crisp photography compensates. Appropriate for even elementary-age readers, the book's excellent range maps are very clear, and the introduction to each group is readable and highly informative. Clean design, sharp (not heavy) print and moisture-resistant materials make it perfect for field use. Birders of any experience level will be happy with this volume on their bookshelf. (June) Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

This complete guide to American birds by the editor of Birding magazine has 2000 color photographs, hundreds of range maps, and many other useful features, including a DVD disc of five and a half hours of downloadable songs, totaling 587 from 138 species. As with most recent guides, the text is terse and minimal although full of literate nuggets, many not found in other books. For each bird, Floyd offers a paragraph of commentary, several photographs, a tiny but accurate range map, short descriptions of vocalizations, and some rather out-of-place (in a popular title) technical descriptions of plumage and molt. A full page or more is devoted to variable species such as the red-tailed hawk, given two pages and 11 photographs. The recordings are selective, e.g., showcasing eight of 51 warblers and nine of 31 sparrows. The photos are excellent, but many birders prefer paintings, which more easily distill the gestalt of species in all their variety. Top guides with paintings include American Bird Conservancy's All the Birds of North America, National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Peterson Field Guide to Birds, and The Sibley Guide to Birds. Among quality recent photographic guides are Edward Brinkley's National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Birds of North America, Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America, National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds, and Stokes Field Guide to Birds. Most consider Sibley and National Geographic the best, in that order, in any medium. A very fine guide, but, then, so are several others. Nevertheless, highly recommended.--Henry T. Armistead, formerly with Free Lib. of Philadelphia (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

"Following some general introductory material about birds, this guide describes more than 750 species. The information and code notations are those used by the American Birding Association (ABA), and readers will want to consult the introduction for help in interpreting the codes used in the species accounts. The more than 700 range maps use more colors than most bird-guide maps. Songs are briefly described and imitated as "words." Molting patterns are noted along with feather condition and color variations. Size (length, wingspan, and weight) is also noted, with birds weighing less than one ounce also listed in grams. Most entries include several good photographs, usually side or three-quarter front views, with some birds shown in flight. The book is divided into groupings, with an introduction for each group: e.g., "Skuas and Jaegers," "Thrushes." One desirable but missing feature is some way to indicate the major field mark identification cues for each bird. A considerable amount of information is found in each entry so the print is quite small though very legible. Following the species accounts are a list of recommended resources (including Web sites), a glossary, a species checklist, and a species index. The book weighs a little over two pounds—a bit on the heavy side to carry in a jacket pocket. Included with the book is a birdsong DVD with 587 MP3 files for 138 species. When the MP3 files are played, a small JPG image of the bird appears on the viewer. The number and quality of the sound files for the selected birds are quite good and will be useful to those learning calls. Libraries with field-guide collections will want to add this one because of the ABA approach to descriptive information and the DVD, which might be circulated as a separate item." Copyright 2008 Booklist Reviews.

This complete guide to American birds by the editor of Birding magazine has 2000 color photographs, hundreds of range maps, and many other useful features, including a DVD disc of five and a half hours of downloadable songs, totaling 587 from 138 species. As with most recent guides, the text is terse and minimal although full of literate nuggets, many not found in other books. For each bird, Floyd offers a paragraph of commentary, several photographs, a tiny but accurate range map, short descriptions of vocalizations, and some rather out-of-place (in a popular title) technical descriptions of plumage and molt. A full page or more is devoted to variable species such as the red-tailed hawk, given two pages and 11 photographs. The recordings are selective, e.g., showcasing eight of 51 warblers and nine of 31 sparrows. The photos are excellent, but many birders prefer paintings, which more easily distill the gestalt of species in all their variety. Top guides with paintings include American Bird Conservancy's All the Birds of North America, National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Peterson Field Guide to Birds , and The Sibley Guide to Birds . Among quality recent photographic guides are Edward Brinkley's National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Birds of North America, Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America, National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds , and Stokes Field Guide to Birds . Most consider Sibley and National Geographic the best, in that order, in any medium. A very fine guide, but, then, so are several others. Nevertheless, highly recommended.—Henry T. Armistead, formerly with Free Lib. of Philadelphia

This new Smithsonian field guide, written by Birding magazine editor Floyd, is ideal for beginners, but also has formidable resources for experienced birders. What gives this guide the most value is the included CD-ROM, with 587 songs and calls (for 138 bird species) in mp3 format. Not only are they an immense improvement on written descriptions (frequently incomprehensible), they're field-ready--just download them onto your favorite mp3 player. The text is generally thorough, but the focus is on images; each bird's entry is accompanied by at least two photographs and often more, showing specimens in flight, variations in coloring, and differences among males, females and juveniles. Compared with similar guides from National Geographic, Floyd's has considerably less textual description, helpful in identifying rarer birds and hybrids, but the strikingly crisp photography compensates. Appropriate for even elementary-age readers, the book's excellent range maps are very clear, and the introduction to each group is readable and highly informative. Clean design, sharp (not heavy) print and moisture-resistant materials make it perfect for field use. Birders of any experience level will be happy with this volume on their bookshelf. (June) Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.