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National Audubon Society Guide
National Audubon Society Birds of North America
Not yet published
Expected 2 Jan 79From the most trusted name in birding--beloved by millions of backyard enthusiasts and experts alike--comes a completely new and definitive guide to the birds of North the most comprehensive, authoritative, and up-to-date work of its kindDeveloped by the creators of the best-selling Audubon field guides, this handsome volume is the result of a collaboration among leading scientists, scholars, taxonomic and field experts, photo editors, and designers. An indispensable reference, it covers more than 800 species, with over 3,500 full-color photographs of birds in their natural habitat, often with four or five images of each species. For ease of use, the book includes a glossary, an index, and a ribbon marker, and is arranged according to the American Ornithological Society's latest Checklist of North and Middle American Birds--with birds sorted by taxonomic orders and grouped by family, so that related species are presented together. Range maps, reflecting the impact of climate change, accompany nearly every entry, along with a physical description and information on voice, nesting, habitat, and similar species. This guide also includes an important new category on conservation status and essays by leading scholars in each field who provide holistic insights into the world of birds. Whether trying to determine which owl is interrupting your dinner or successfully identifying all of the warblers that arrive in spring, readers will come to rely on this work of remarkable breadth, depth, and elegance. It is a must-have reference for the library of any birder, and is poised to become the number one guide in the field.
Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2021
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6830 people want to read
About the author
National Audubon Society
481 books173 followersIncorporated in 1905, the National Audubon Society is a nonprofit conservation organization that uses education and advocacy to advance its mission to conserve and restore natural habitats of birds and wildlife in the United States and across the Americas. Audubon also produces bestselling descriptive field guides on a wide variety of nature-related topics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
September 19, 2022
It is crazy funny that now when I see a bird or flock of birds I try identifying them with help from this enormous highly detailed bird guide book. Only wish there were photographs of nests and eggs not just the descriptions.
October 17, 2022
I overestimated how much I knew about birds by a large margin--900 pages worth, as it turns out. This comprehensive guide dedicated to the birds of North America is massive and contains a wealth of information for both the casual I-have-a-birdfeeder crowd, the I-go-birdwatching-every-Tuesday-let-me-discuss-my-favorite-bird-with-you crowd, and all variety of people in between. Each bird has its own full color page, with a handy color-coded map indicating its region, including seasonal habitats and migration paths. The descriptions are thorough, and it even discusses similar species that one can easily be confused by. As someone who owns a birdfeeder, I evidently am easily confused.
I obtained a copy of this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
I obtained a copy of this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
September 11, 2022
I received a copy through Goodreads.
This is a very thorough and beautiful reference book, that is useful for anyone interested in birds. It's outstanding quality with a built-in bookmark to keep track of pages. It contains visuals, descriptions, ranges, multiple ways to identify birds, and conservation status. It's a very thorough reference book, as well descriptive.
As a warning this is a larger book and not one of the pocket styles, so if you are looking for something that you want to take with you while bird watching, it might not be the best one. This is more of a book for comparing photos you might have taken, or just so that you have a better understanding of the subject.
This is a very thorough and beautiful reference book, that is useful for anyone interested in birds. It's outstanding quality with a built-in bookmark to keep track of pages. It contains visuals, descriptions, ranges, multiple ways to identify birds, and conservation status. It's a very thorough reference book, as well descriptive.
As a warning this is a larger book and not one of the pocket styles, so if you are looking for something that you want to take with you while bird watching, it might not be the best one. This is more of a book for comparing photos you might have taken, or just so that you have a better understanding of the subject.
November 13, 2022
I am not sure where I stand on the birder experience list. I think of myself somewhat close to a beginner because I have been an avid birder years, contributing to citizen science like ebird.org, but I only recently started taking classes and consulting more than apps. Audubon's app, in my opinion, is best for visual ID and Cornell's Merlin for sound and photo ID. I am at the stage where I have learned enough that I realize how little I know. That said, I do think I have gained enough experience to be able to review new guides when they come out. The National Audubon* Society's new edition of Birds of North America has been updated for the first time in decades, which is an important step given the massive negative effects and changes caused by human intervention and climate destruction.
The start of the book includes a short and helpful overview of bird biology topics written by experts in the various fields. There is some ranking of "intelligence" and other anthropocentric metrics, but they also do well to highlight birds' own interesting characteristics and abilities separate from humans.
This volume does the same thing that all of my other bird guides do- they refer to birds as "it" throughout the book when it is entirely unnecessary. I was also not a huge fan of how they discussed non-native species. While they do initially account for humans being at fault, they tend to describe birds like starlings almost entirely by the damage they do to industry (with no acknowledgement of how many of those industries are a far greater threat to birds than any non-native species.) They also do not acknowledge that many non-native species populations are in decline along with native birds and the perceived damage done by species is not shown in studies to be nearly as bad as the mythology around them- which is used as an excuse to offer them no protection. Though, I admit I did not read every bird description in the book.
The guide, like all others I have encountered, focuses visually on adult male animals (with the exception of rare more colorful females such as the belted kingfisher.) I am not 100% against this- it can work in one's favor for certain kinds of IDs. Many breeding plumage males (like many warblers) will show the most extreme versions of the field markings that can then be sought out in their lighter expressions in nonbreeding plumage males, females, and juveniles (if there's a difference in said species.) But, the focus on the flashy male species not only ignores the wonders of female camouflage (again, if the species has it,) it also causes birders and others to have an extremely difficult time identifying sexually dimorphic females of unfamiliar birds. Given how massive this volume is (textbook sized, even larger than my Sibley volume and far larger than my other 3 guides,) it would have been nice to see more images of juveniles, females, nests, eggs, etc. The images could also have been labeled better and seem to be the same ones from their app (which are labeled in the software.)
One major improvement is the updates to conservation statuses and some of the texts. The first thing I did was flip to the section on wild turkeys to see if the same horrid description from the app- calling domestic turkeys "rather stupid creature(s)" was present in the text. It was not. (Though it is still in the app unfortunately despite my and others complaints.) The conservation information and discussion of population changes are critical given that since the original publication, bird species have declined and changed in major ways. The volume is also well organized by types of birds and including cover flaps and a ribbon to hold one's place. There is also an index to find each bird without needing to scan an entire family section.
The photos are gorgeous and seeing them on the larger printed page vs the app or website is nice. I won the softcover version from a goodreads giveaway, so I cannot comment on the hardcover design. Overall, it's a beautiful and valuable guide I am happy to add to my collection.
*NAS has acknowledged that Audubon was a slaver and colonialist who shot and posed the dead bodies of all of the birds in his famous illustrations. This is a good first step, but I and others think they still should change the name, especially since there are a great many genius workers in the NAS that descend from Audubon's victims.
This was also posted to my blog.
The start of the book includes a short and helpful overview of bird biology topics written by experts in the various fields. There is some ranking of "intelligence" and other anthropocentric metrics, but they also do well to highlight birds' own interesting characteristics and abilities separate from humans.
This volume does the same thing that all of my other bird guides do- they refer to birds as "it" throughout the book when it is entirely unnecessary. I was also not a huge fan of how they discussed non-native species. While they do initially account for humans being at fault, they tend to describe birds like starlings almost entirely by the damage they do to industry (with no acknowledgement of how many of those industries are a far greater threat to birds than any non-native species.) They also do not acknowledge that many non-native species populations are in decline along with native birds and the perceived damage done by species is not shown in studies to be nearly as bad as the mythology around them- which is used as an excuse to offer them no protection. Though, I admit I did not read every bird description in the book.
The guide, like all others I have encountered, focuses visually on adult male animals (with the exception of rare more colorful females such as the belted kingfisher.) I am not 100% against this- it can work in one's favor for certain kinds of IDs. Many breeding plumage males (like many warblers) will show the most extreme versions of the field markings that can then be sought out in their lighter expressions in nonbreeding plumage males, females, and juveniles (if there's a difference in said species.) But, the focus on the flashy male species not only ignores the wonders of female camouflage (again, if the species has it,) it also causes birders and others to have an extremely difficult time identifying sexually dimorphic females of unfamiliar birds. Given how massive this volume is (textbook sized, even larger than my Sibley volume and far larger than my other 3 guides,) it would have been nice to see more images of juveniles, females, nests, eggs, etc. The images could also have been labeled better and seem to be the same ones from their app (which are labeled in the software.)
One major improvement is the updates to conservation statuses and some of the texts. The first thing I did was flip to the section on wild turkeys to see if the same horrid description from the app- calling domestic turkeys "rather stupid creature(s)" was present in the text. It was not. (Though it is still in the app unfortunately despite my and others complaints.) The conservation information and discussion of population changes are critical given that since the original publication, bird species have declined and changed in major ways. The volume is also well organized by types of birds and including cover flaps and a ribbon to hold one's place. There is also an index to find each bird without needing to scan an entire family section.
The photos are gorgeous and seeing them on the larger printed page vs the app or website is nice. I won the softcover version from a goodreads giveaway, so I cannot comment on the hardcover design. Overall, it's a beautiful and valuable guide I am happy to add to my collection.
*NAS has acknowledged that Audubon was a slaver and colonialist who shot and posed the dead bodies of all of the birds in his famous illustrations. This is a good first step, but I and others think they still should change the name, especially since there are a great many genius workers in the NAS that descend from Audubon's victims.
This was also posted to my blog.
September 7, 2022
Just received National Audubon Society Birds of North America and its just beautiful.
Perfect coffee table book for every household. Pictures are beautiful, information and range maps are great for every level of bird watcher. I love the size , color divisions on pages and up to date information. This is a book to be enjoyed over and over for many years to come.
I received this copy from a Goodreads contest and am under no obligation to provide a favorable review . Thanks Knopf books/ Random House!
Perfect coffee table book for every household. Pictures are beautiful, information and range maps are great for every level of bird watcher. I love the size , color divisions on pages and up to date information. This is a book to be enjoyed over and over for many years to come.
I received this copy from a Goodreads contest and am under no obligation to provide a favorable review . Thanks Knopf books/ Random House!
November 11, 2022
National Audubon Society Birds of North America is more of a reference guide than a field guide. As an avid birder, I have read many field guides, essays and other reference books over the years. There are things I love about this book and a few things I wish were better. I was fortunate to win a copy of this book from a goodreads giveaway.
What I love:
The organization is wonderful! The beginning section introduces basic bird biology. In the back you will find an overview of each bird family in the book, a glossary, an index and a list of photo credits. In the middle, are detailed descriptions for over 800 species of birds in taxonomic order.
For each species, the order, common name and scientific name are along the top of the page and the family is along the bottom. Each order is color coded along the edge of the page, including a bird silhouette. Photographs are included for each species along with their physical description, voice, nesting habits, habitat, range (including a map), similar species, and conservation status.
What I don’t love:
The map colors aren’t the best. Many of them blend together, so it is difficult to tell where one stops and the next starts. If the colored areas of the map are small enough, it’s hard to tell where they are and what color they happen to be. Occasionally, they zoomed in on smaller areas, but not always.
Photos should be labeled to indicate male vs. female or summer vs. winter plumage. In a few photos, there are additional species in the photos. These should be identified to reduce confusion.
I’m surprised by the lack of a labeled bird diagram, identifying anatomical features. The field marks are described in text and a glossary defines them in text, but sometimes a picture is more helpful.
While the photos are beautiful, it would be nice to see a wider variety of field marks in the photos. Birds often fly and there are helpful field marks for identification that can only be seen then. Leg color is also a useful field mark that is often difficult to see in the photos. A few species are only represented by males.
I question the inclusion of species that are likely extinct or had colonies in North America that have since died out. As much as I would love to see an ivory-billed woodpecker, I fear that time has passed.
Overall, this is a great book. It is a huge improvement over other Audubon Society field guides. That said, these few changes would help people learn about the birds covered in this guide.
What I love:
The organization is wonderful! The beginning section introduces basic bird biology. In the back you will find an overview of each bird family in the book, a glossary, an index and a list of photo credits. In the middle, are detailed descriptions for over 800 species of birds in taxonomic order.
For each species, the order, common name and scientific name are along the top of the page and the family is along the bottom. Each order is color coded along the edge of the page, including a bird silhouette. Photographs are included for each species along with their physical description, voice, nesting habits, habitat, range (including a map), similar species, and conservation status.
What I don’t love:
The map colors aren’t the best. Many of them blend together, so it is difficult to tell where one stops and the next starts. If the colored areas of the map are small enough, it’s hard to tell where they are and what color they happen to be. Occasionally, they zoomed in on smaller areas, but not always.
Photos should be labeled to indicate male vs. female or summer vs. winter plumage. In a few photos, there are additional species in the photos. These should be identified to reduce confusion.
I’m surprised by the lack of a labeled bird diagram, identifying anatomical features. The field marks are described in text and a glossary defines them in text, but sometimes a picture is more helpful.
While the photos are beautiful, it would be nice to see a wider variety of field marks in the photos. Birds often fly and there are helpful field marks for identification that can only be seen then. Leg color is also a useful field mark that is often difficult to see in the photos. A few species are only represented by males.
I question the inclusion of species that are likely extinct or had colonies in North America that have since died out. As much as I would love to see an ivory-billed woodpecker, I fear that time has passed.
Overall, this is a great book. It is a huge improvement over other Audubon Society field guides. That said, these few changes would help people learn about the birds covered in this guide.
November 14, 2022
I received this in a GoodReads giveaway.
Outstanding reference resource!
The guide begins with an introduction providing detailed background information on bird behaviors, habitats, migration, and communication. Details used to identify birds are explained in general in the introduction. All of this is then explained specifically for each individual bird species.
Connections with birds are to be valued. Information is provided for feeding birds at home and actions to take to that protect birds and their habitats. Bird biology topics include birds of prey, owl hunting techniques, fall warbler identification tips, avian cognition, memory, tool use, and more.
This field guide is a valuable resource for identifying birds. A number of photos display each bird from a variety of perspectives. A map is included showing where each bird is customarily found throughout the year. Individual entries include details for description, voice, nesting, habitat, range, similar species, and conservation status.
The guide concludes with a section providing information on bird families.
This guide may perhaps be too large to carry out into the field, even so it is an outstanding reference source for learning about and identifying the "Birds of North America".
Outstanding reference resource!
The guide begins with an introduction providing detailed background information on bird behaviors, habitats, migration, and communication. Details used to identify birds are explained in general in the introduction. All of this is then explained specifically for each individual bird species.
Connections with birds are to be valued. Information is provided for feeding birds at home and actions to take to that protect birds and their habitats. Bird biology topics include birds of prey, owl hunting techniques, fall warbler identification tips, avian cognition, memory, tool use, and more.
This field guide is a valuable resource for identifying birds. A number of photos display each bird from a variety of perspectives. A map is included showing where each bird is customarily found throughout the year. Individual entries include details for description, voice, nesting, habitat, range, similar species, and conservation status.
The guide concludes with a section providing information on bird families.
This guide may perhaps be too large to carry out into the field, even so it is an outstanding reference source for learning about and identifying the "Birds of North America".
December 13, 2022
**I received a free print copy of this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway. This review is entirely my own opinion.**
An excellent resource for beginning and advanced birdwatchers.
I am not an experienced birdwatcher, but my kids and myself are starting to try to identify certain birds we see on hikes. Although I doubt I will bring this book with on our hikes (it's a hefty 900+ pages), it will be an excellent resource for us to try to compare with pictures we take of birds. Most of this book is comprised of full page descriptions of individual species, divided and color-coded by bird families. The full-color pictures and descriptions of each species include a small map of the locations you most often find each species for each season and including common migration patterns. There's a short description of bird voices, nesting, habitat, and notes on conservation (whether the species is endangered or what is being done/has been done to help a species recover).
In all, I doubt I will ever find a need to own another book on North American Bird Identification!
An excellent resource for beginning and advanced birdwatchers.
I am not an experienced birdwatcher, but my kids and myself are starting to try to identify certain birds we see on hikes. Although I doubt I will bring this book with on our hikes (it's a hefty 900+ pages), it will be an excellent resource for us to try to compare with pictures we take of birds. Most of this book is comprised of full page descriptions of individual species, divided and color-coded by bird families. The full-color pictures and descriptions of each species include a small map of the locations you most often find each species for each season and including common migration patterns. There's a short description of bird voices, nesting, habitat, and notes on conservation (whether the species is endangered or what is being done/has been done to help a species recover).
In all, I doubt I will ever find a need to own another book on North American Bird Identification!
January 11, 2023
I won a copy of this through a Goodreads giveaway, and I was super excited to do so. I remember my parents having a pocket copy of Audubon Society's bird guide when i was growing up, and always used to love flipping through it. I knew this was going to be a great book, and still somehow when it arrived it was better than I expected.
This book is gorgeous. It's functional, full of great pictures of the birds, and tons of valuable information about them. It's clearly designed for use, but retains a level of beauty that is much appreciated. I'm inclined to use it as a coffee table book - it's great to flip through when you have an odd moment - learn a thing or two about some cool birds, or just look at the fantastic photographs.
I'll be enjoying this for a long time to come. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go refill some bird feeders and get ready to see who comes to visit.
This book is gorgeous. It's functional, full of great pictures of the birds, and tons of valuable information about them. It's clearly designed for use, but retains a level of beauty that is much appreciated. I'm inclined to use it as a coffee table book - it's great to flip through when you have an odd moment - learn a thing or two about some cool birds, or just look at the fantastic photographs.
I'll be enjoying this for a long time to come. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go refill some bird feeders and get ready to see who comes to visit.
November 20, 2022
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the publisher
What is better than a new book? A new FREE book! I unexpectedly received a copy of this book from the publisher and am thoroughly enjoying it. I marked it as "read" but it's not really the type of book that you read cover to cover. However, it was an oddly timely gift. Since we have moved to a new region of the country, we are enjoying discovering new species of birds. [our newest bird friend is the belted kingfisher which likes to sit on the roof of our dock.] This book is beautiful but also very informative. I love the way it's organized - making it easy to locate the bird you want. It is perfect for the novice bird watcher. Each bird has full color photographs, maps of migration, etc. and lots of other details about the bird.
What is better than a new book? A new FREE book! I unexpectedly received a copy of this book from the publisher and am thoroughly enjoying it. I marked it as "read" but it's not really the type of book that you read cover to cover. However, it was an oddly timely gift. Since we have moved to a new region of the country, we are enjoying discovering new species of birds. [our newest bird friend is the belted kingfisher which likes to sit on the roof of our dock.] This book is beautiful but also very informative. I love the way it's organized - making it easy to locate the bird you want. It is perfect for the novice bird watcher. Each bird has full color photographs, maps of migration, etc. and lots of other details about the bird.
December 12, 2022
Oh my goodness! When I won a copy of National Audobon Society Birds of North America through Goodreads, I was really excited. Having been a birder for almost 40 years, I thought how nice an update of my current field guides would be. Never did I expect this beautiful book! Larger than a standard field guide--maybe 9" x 10"--it has a soft cover. The pages contain range maps and descriptions, but the difference comes in the photos! Each page has anywhere from 3-6 FULL-COLOR photographs of the bird. Not diagrams, but full-color photographs, and they are not thumbnails, they are large enough so that you can see and compare to the birds you see outside your window or out in the fields! I know it's close to Christmas for ordering, but if you have a birder in your life and you need a gift, THIS IS IT! I can't wait to do more exploring through this book!
November 23, 2022
Book won through a Goodreads Giveaway.
This book is an absolutely gorgeous reference guide to the birds of North America. With large, full color photographs and concise descriptions of appearance, voice, nesting, habitat, conservation status, and range this book creates an easy entry point into birding (of which I am definitely a novice). The only thing I wish was included was labels on the pictures identifying if the specific bird shown was male or female. As someone who isn't an avid birdwatcher, the minor differences are sometimes hard for me to identify just using a paragraph style description.
Overall a beautiful book that is fun to look through and indispensable for identifying any bird you see flying past your window.
This book is an absolutely gorgeous reference guide to the birds of North America. With large, full color photographs and concise descriptions of appearance, voice, nesting, habitat, conservation status, and range this book creates an easy entry point into birding (of which I am definitely a novice). The only thing I wish was included was labels on the pictures identifying if the specific bird shown was male or female. As someone who isn't an avid birdwatcher, the minor differences are sometimes hard for me to identify just using a paragraph style description.
Overall a beautiful book that is fun to look through and indispensable for identifying any bird you see flying past your window.
January 11, 2023
The most detailed bird guidebook I've owned. While too large to be a field guide with nearly 900 full sized pages, it's definitely a go to for getting an ID of something you're not sure about even after looking at other guides. Each species is given it's own page with multiple highly detailed photos. Besides the usual description, range, and habitat info, it also gives each a paragraph talking about the bird and clearly lists similar species. Range maps are adequate, but not great because of the bold boundary lines muddying up some of the smaller ranges. This is easily forgiven with the abundance of information it gives in return. I'm not sure how I went without this guidebook for all these years.
October 13, 2022
I’ve been a member of the Audubon Society for years and consider it a great resource for novice birders (and experienced birders alike).
This book is an incredible reference. It has beautiful pictures and concise and informative notes about each bird. The organization of the sections is very helpful.
As others have commented, it isn’t a pocket reference to use on birding adventures, but is very useful to learn more about birds you see or help identify new discoveries. I’m delighted that I received this book and know it will be a key resource for many years.
I received this book from Goodreads and couldn’t be happier!
This book is an incredible reference. It has beautiful pictures and concise and informative notes about each bird. The organization of the sections is very helpful.
As others have commented, it isn’t a pocket reference to use on birding adventures, but is very useful to learn more about birds you see or help identify new discoveries. I’m delighted that I received this book and know it will be a key resource for many years.
I received this book from Goodreads and couldn’t be happier!
January 11, 2023
I’m no ornithologist, but if you know one, buy them this book!
Perfect for identifying that bird you see in your backyard or on TV, there are detailed introduction pages offering advice on bird identification.
The majority of the book contains detailed pages on all North American species. Description, voice, nesting, habitat, range (with a map), similar species, and conservation notes are within.
Multiple pictures of each species also help with further learning and identification.
The book is organized by bird families… waterfowl, shorebirds, passerines, etc… to group similar species together.
Definitely a read for anyone who’s ever said, “Look at that bird! Wonder what it is?”
Perfect for identifying that bird you see in your backyard or on TV, there are detailed introduction pages offering advice on bird identification.
The majority of the book contains detailed pages on all North American species. Description, voice, nesting, habitat, range (with a map), similar species, and conservation notes are within.
Multiple pictures of each species also help with further learning and identification.
The book is organized by bird families… waterfowl, shorebirds, passerines, etc… to group similar species together.
Definitely a read for anyone who’s ever said, “Look at that bird! Wonder what it is?”
February 8, 2023
I won this book for free in a Goodreads giveaway. I am very pleased with it - it is so thick and comprehensive! It's easy to browse by category of bird to try to find something you've seen. There are bright pictures and enough information about each bird.
This definitely isn't the book to take birding - you'd want a smaller book to carry for just birds in your area. This is thick and has some weight to it. However, it's a wonderful reference book or coffee table book, and will be relevant no matter where you are in the USA. If I ever had a nice window with a bird feeder outside, I'd keep this right by the window!
This definitely isn't the book to take birding - you'd want a smaller book to carry for just birds in your area. This is thick and has some weight to it. However, it's a wonderful reference book or coffee table book, and will be relevant no matter where you are in the USA. If I ever had a nice window with a bird feeder outside, I'd keep this right by the window!
September 11, 2022
I received a copy through a Goodreads giveaway, and I'm excited to add this big reference book to my collection!
I am not a birder, but will occasionally attempt to identify the feathered friends that visit my suburban backyard. I expect this book will be great for that purpose, whilst also being fun to flip through. Photos are beautiful, print quality is great, and content is well organized.
My only complaint is that it is not a hardcover, and given the size, it seems unstable upright on a shelf. Best displayed lying down, on your coffee table or a more styled shelf.
I am not a birder, but will occasionally attempt to identify the feathered friends that visit my suburban backyard. I expect this book will be great for that purpose, whilst also being fun to flip through. Photos are beautiful, print quality is great, and content is well organized.
My only complaint is that it is not a hardcover, and given the size, it seems unstable upright on a shelf. Best displayed lying down, on your coffee table or a more styled shelf.
January 10, 2023
Thanks Knopf Books and Goodreads for sending me a copy of Birds of North America. This is a beautiful and comprehensive guide to birds and birdwatching. The color pictures are great, and the range maps are extremely helpful. There is so much current information on every bird in North America including habitats, sounds made to help you identify, and conservation status. I especially love the conservation status. The beginning of the book has lots of general birding information. This book is a "must own" book if you are even remotely interested in birds and birding. It is a fabulous resource!
January 13, 2023
I have been very lucky to receive a free copy thanks to Goodreads and really cherish this book.
It is so good looking. It is very nice to get such a gift to appreciate Nature while so many people strive to destroy our planet. Each page is beautifully designed with a map, great pictures and the necessary information to know where and how these awesome creatures live.
I have not read it completely of course but already casually browsing. Each page is a wonderful window to the world we fail to appreciate and protect.
It is so good looking. It is very nice to get such a gift to appreciate Nature while so many people strive to destroy our planet. Each page is beautifully designed with a map, great pictures and the necessary information to know where and how these awesome creatures live.
I have not read it completely of course but already casually browsing. Each page is a wonderful window to the world we fail to appreciate and protect.
October 7, 2022
What a beautiful book! It even came with a ribbon bookmark. I like how a picture of each bird is on the upper corners of the pages, so if you have to identify quickly you can just thumb through while keeping your eyes in one spot. Included for each bird description is a map of everywhere it can be found and it's migration habits. This is a wonderful book to own even if you're only a casual birder.
December 6, 2022
I won this in a giveaway, but I'm so glad I did. It is huge, heavy, and very nice. Obviously it's not a book you read cover to cover, but as a resource for bird identification and information it will be wonderful. I can't wait to see a bird I don't recognize so I can look it up in this massive book. From what I've skimmed so far it is very detailed with several photos for each bird. I think the only real down side to this book is the size/weight - it really is big and heavy.
February 12, 2023
Absolutely love this book! As someone who has a casual interest in birdwatching, this book provided so much information on the variety of birds found in North America. I was able to identify a few birds that have been hanging around my home. The pictures are fantastic and includes maps showing where to find them in the summer, winter, if they are a resident, migration and if they are rare or not. Super informative! Highly recommend.
September 13, 2022
This book is amazing. Since I received it, my family and I have spent more time together watching our birds. This book has great pictures and information about each bird. We have learned what they use for nesting, what foods they like and also where they migrate to during the winter. A must have book if you feed the birds or just enjoy watching them.
September 15, 2022
So happy to have received my copy of the National Audubon Society Birds of North America - this book is gorgeous! It has been fun to immediately look up birds I see every day. Full of amazing photos, maps, and facts, I can’t wait to spend more time with it. A big thank you to the National Audubon Society for the giveaway.
September 27, 2022
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
I highly recommend this book. It is FULL of beautiful photos, informative descriptions and maps. This is a large book, but the binding is a very nice more flexible type making it easy to use. I liked the type font. It is very clear and easy to read. This is definitely a book to keep, use often and pass down through the family. Thank you.
I highly recommend this book. It is FULL of beautiful photos, informative descriptions and maps. This is a large book, but the binding is a very nice more flexible type making it easy to use. I liked the type font. It is very clear and easy to read. This is definitely a book to keep, use often and pass down through the family. Thank you.
October 10, 2022
This is a book that I won through a giveaway. As my wife and I are beginning "birders", we are using this as a great beginner's guide. While I haven't read this book cover to cover (yet), the information with the color pictures is one of the best books to familiarize yourself with the birds available in North America. Any beginner birders would be proud to use this as their guidebook.
December 11, 2022
***Disclaimer, I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway***
Once summer/spring return we will be keeping this in our car to help us identify all the birds that live in this region and where we go for road trips! The photos are beautiful and the descriptions are gorgeous! If you are into bird watching this is the book for you!
Once summer/spring return we will be keeping this in our car to help us identify all the birds that live in this region and where we go for road trips! The photos are beautiful and the descriptions are gorgeous! If you are into bird watching this is the book for you!
January 9, 2023
Received a copy in the GoodReads Giveaway.
This book is thorough and beautiful. I enjoyed flipping through and easily spotting the maps in order to check if I was likely to see a bird in my area. This book is more to reference after your adventures, rather than one to put in your backpack to use in the field- its very large.
This book is thorough and beautiful. I enjoyed flipping through and easily spotting the maps in order to check if I was likely to see a bird in my area. This book is more to reference after your adventures, rather than one to put in your backpack to use in the field- its very large.
February 9, 2023
I won a free copy on GoodReads.
This is a huge book, physically. A bird encyclopedia, with a page for each bird featured. It is not a field guide you can carry with you. I personally had a difficult time distinguishing between some of the birds in the book, trying to figure out which ones I've seen. I think I would prefer a smaller, regionally specific field guide.
This is a huge book, physically. A bird encyclopedia, with a page for each bird featured. It is not a field guide you can carry with you. I personally had a difficult time distinguishing between some of the birds in the book, trying to figure out which ones I've seen. I think I would prefer a smaller, regionally specific field guide.
August 29, 2024
At 900 pages and essentially a single-volume encyclopedia, this is much more of a coffee table book than a field guide, which isn't exactly a criticism, but this doesn't make sense as a primary reference source given that no species gets that detailed a treatment. It's a trade-off, sacrificing detail for breadth and on that count it succeeds pretty spectacularly, making for excellent browsing.
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