Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America : Revised and Updated by Jon L. Dunn, National Geographic Society ISBN: 0-7922-7451-2 Publisher: National Geographic Pub. Date: April, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $21.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.35 (40 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: National Geographic Field Guide to the North American Birds
Comment: 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.
Rating: 5
Summary: Still a fine work
Comment: 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: 4
Summary: No longer required
Comment: 5 years ago this field guide was required for all serious birders but with the new field guides this one isn't need any longer. It's a bit too big to easily carry around the field and Sibley's is a better guide for the home. Kaufman's Birds of NA is a better book to carry around.
If you like to have bird guides this is one of the best but it's no longer the best.
 |
Title: National Geographic Field Guide To The Birds Of North America, 4th Edition by National Geographic Society ISBN: 0792268776 Publisher: National Geographic Pub. Date: 01 November, 2002 List Price(USD): $21.95 |
 |
Title: Birds of North America : A Guide To Field Identification by Chandler S. Robbins, Bertel Bruun, Herbert S. Zim, Arthur Singer ISBN: 1582380902 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 14 April, 2001 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
 |
Title: All the Birds of North America by Jack Griggs ISBN: 0060527706 Publisher: HarperResource Pub. Date: 26 November, 2002 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
 |
Title: The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America by David Allen Sibley ISBN: 0679451218 Publisher: Knopf Pub. Date: 29 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
 |
Title: Smithsonian Handbooks: Birds of North America -- Eastern Region (Smithsonian Handbooks) by Fred J., III Alsop ISBN: 0789471566 Publisher: DK Publishing Pub. Date: 01 April, 2001 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
