Customer Reviews

Birds of Los Angeles (U.S. City Bird Guides)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have tried identifying birds with other books before, and I usually gave up in frustration because there'd be, like, 20 birds that mine could possibly be related to, but no exact match. These were mainly books that covered all of North America, or all of the Pacific states.

With "Birds of Los Angeles," I have actually identified several birds! The pictures are big and colorful, the information (habits, habitat, etc.) enough to tell you what you casually want to know. Its dimensions are compact but it is a little heavy, because of the weight of the glossy paper, but not impossible to take along backpacking.

This book easily deserves a 5 Star rating. It is, I think, the best book to get if you are beginning to get interested in birdwatching and live in the Los Angeles area. First, it is comprehensive - it covers almost all of the birds one is likely to encounter when doing basic birdwatching locally. Second, the illustrations are nicely done and large in size, making it easy for the beginning birder to identify area birds. (Although pictures may seem "better" to the beginning birdwatcher, as you gain experience birdwatching you will eventually learn that illustrations are usually better for birding field guides than photographs.) Third, it is thorough and engaging, each species' listing contains habitat and basic behavior information, (written in a short, concise way - see photos) list of similar species, "quick i.d." guides, and month to month abundance charts. This is all presented in easy to understand, non-pretentious language that is easy for anyone to read, though he also includes a glossary of difficult terms. To round out the complete effort, he includes a few birdwatching sites in Los Angeles (though this is very limited and you'll want to look up more information on each site online), as well as a list of further books you can look at and a list of birds that you can check-off as you go along. Finally, as one would expect of a field guide, the book itself is well made and durable, the spine is sturdy and the pages glossy - a good thing if you end up dropping it along trails (as I have) or read it from cover to cover several times (again, as I have). I disagree with a previous review - it is very lightweight much more manageable than most other field guides. (Amazon's estimate of 9 ounces sounds about right.)

To sum up, this is the book that got my son and I both hooked on birdwatching, and it is still the first book my son (8 years old) chooses to take with him to birdwatch around Los Angeles. It is a superb effort and, at $9.95, a great value. If you remain interested in birdwatching after this guide, you can always "upgrade" to the much more thorough and technical Sibley's Guide to Birds later on. Even though I have Sibley's, I'm looking forward to purchasing the San Diego version of this guide soon!

I like the individual species drawings in this book with a handy list of key features and similar species. An abundance chart shows the time of year that each species is found in the region. This is a very useful tool.

I was hoping from the book description that there were details on the good sites to each species in the region, but this features is missing as well as a good map of the local parks and reserves.

Overall, this is a handy book to have in the backpack when visiting natural areas. It is pitched at the beginner birdwatcher and is likely to be put aside when the bird species become more familiar and more challenging in terms of identification.

I bought Birds of Los Angeles to replace my lost copies of Birds of California field guide, and Birds of the Los Angeles RegionBirds of the Los Angeles Region (Regional Bird Books). I am very new to identifying birds and have found this pretty book annoying.

The illustrations are very beautiful, and the writing is colorful, but the book is incomplete and organized in a confusing way.

Birds of California Field Guide Birds of California Field Guide (Our Nature Field Guides) is great for novice bird watching because the birds are organized by color, then size- you follow tabs on the side of the book to get to the color, then they are organized smallest to largest. Really helpful if you don't know the natural history of a bird. Birds of the Los Angeles Region has a Most common Birds quick guide that is very helpful.

Birds of Los Angeles is organized this way: "conventional groupings are maintained. In other cases, however, distantly related birds that share physical and behavioral similarities are grouped together." That confused me. Owls are next to Roadrunners. King Fishers are their own thing. What if you have no idea at all it's a Kingfisher? You'd never look there.

I was thinking I just was too new at it and not ready for this book until I noticed that Screech Owls didn't even make it in. I volunteer at a wildlife center and we see many screech owls. I know we have them here, I know their call, I hear them outside my house. That made me worry about what else may be missing from the book.

I think that unless you have specific reason to get this particular book, you ought to get Kimball Garrett's Birds of The Los Angeles Region instead- unless you like the color organization for just starting out, then get Birds of California, too!

I bought this book to replace an old birder's book whose binding finally fell apart. In the month since I've had it, I've been able to identify three local birds whose names I couldn't figure out from the previous manual. The color illustrations are large and the comparisons listed on each page help you figure out what other bird it might be if your first guess isn't the right one. Love this book! It sits right next to my binoculars in our second floor bedroom. The trees around our house are full of birds and the fall migration has begun in Los Angeles. Don't waste another minute--buy this book!

Although I was somewhat disappointed with its reference to only three hummingbird species, I've identified several others found in other sources, this book has been helpful with identifying certain bird feeder visitors like the House Finch. I had thought all the small birds in my yard were simply common House Sparrows. A pair of binoculars nearby, come in extremely handy in making out minor details and color patterns. A must for those living in the L.A. area newly addicted to bird watching.

Excellent. This is real book put together with loving care. Also useful for those who sail the coastal waters and who might wonder what kind of little warbler is hitching a ride on the sailboat in San Pedro Bay.

20 years ago Los Angeles had over one hundred bad quality days (smoggy days). During 1997 only three bad quality days were called.

I suppose the birds never left the place, but now they are more beautiful then ever, and it is a pleasure to go outside to see them.

This book is a wonderful illustrated identification tool, it will augment your enjoyment of birding through this magnificent region.