National Geographic Complete Birds of North America [Hardcover]

Jonathan Alderfer (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 15, 2005

Essential, comprehensive, and easy to use, National Geographic Complete Book of Birds is an astonishing resource that covers every bird species in North America, as well as all the migrants that fly through. The entries are organized by family groups-an incredible 82 are included-according to the American Ornithological Union guidelines. Within a family, each separate bird entry has dozens of tips and illustrations on species' genders, age groups, behavior, habitats, nesting and feeding habits, and migration routes. Readers will also find unique features, such as:

• A quick-find index for the most common bird groups and a full glossary
• Straightforward, accessible text by numerous birding experts, including National Geographic's resident birding consultant Jonathan Alderfer
• Hundreds of range and migration maps from renowned ornithologist Paul Lehman with National Geographic cartographers
• State-of-the-art, updated bird illustrations by expert artists, including Jonathan Alderfer
• New and original photographs from well-known bird photographers Kevin Karlson and Brian Small

Perfect for novice or experienced birders alike, National Geographic Complete Book of Birds is a definitive, must-have resource. Quite simply, there is no other volume like it.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Birders rejoice! National Geographic has come through once again with a volume that libraries and bird enthusiasts will welcome to their shelves. Ornithologist and illustrator Alderfer is the general editor of this fine resource that, as he acknowledges, is too large to be a field guide, although many may throw it in their bags while birding. Described as a "companion to the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America," the book pulls together a remarkable amount of information into what can only be described as one of the finest one-volume reference works ever published on North American birds.

The organization will be familiar to bird aficionados everywhere. Each of the 82 avian families is treated in an individual section that begins with a brief essay covering the special characteristics of the family in terms of structure, behavior, plumage, distribution, taxonomy, and conservation. Each genus is then taken in turn; 962 species in total are described. Species entries include outstanding illustrations of each distinctive phase, gender, variant, and subspecies where such illustrations will provide assistance in identification. Clear and updated distribution maps are included. Occasional sidebars offer information on differentiating similar species and subspecies as well as other interesting details about a particular bird or group of birds. Directly aimed at helping birders, the text for each species pays special attention to distinctive characteristics and offers helpful advice for identification. Comprehensiveness is excellent, and there is no reason to doubt the editor's claim that the book includes every resident and established variant through September 2005.

Alderfer and National Geographic have produced a volume that, though certainly not as comprehensive as Cornell University's Birds of North America [http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/BNA], rivals and often surpasses the Audubon Society's Sibley Guide to Birds (Knopf, 2000). Enthusiastically recommended for most types of libraries and collections. Jeff Kosokoff
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Jonathan Alderfer, a widely published author and field guide illustrator, is well known in the birding community for his expertise as a field ornithologist and his knowledge of North American birds. He has served as a general consultant and an art consultant for the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America (4th edition) and is the Associate Editor of Birding, the magazine of the American Birding Association.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 640 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic (November 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792241754
• ISBN-13: 978-0792241751
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 1.8 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,856 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Animals > Birds & Birdwatching

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 51 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great new birding book has arrived! November 15, 2005

By J. Guild TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

National Geographic have done it again.When it comes to Field Guides for the birds of North America,none surpass their (Nat. Geo.) most popular "Field Guide to the Birds of North America.It was first published in 1983 with 295,000 copies.It took the birding world by storm and immediately became the favorite.I can't think of a Birder who hasn't got a copy,for the simple reason there is no better overall choice.Since first appearing,it's now in it's 4th Edition and a total of 1,565,000 copies.Also a 5th Edition is planned for 2006.Each new edition is an update with a small number of rare birds being added plus other updates.In spite of the new edition,the earlier editions are still very good and useful.These guides are manufactured with the highest quality so as to stand tremendous use and abuse in the field.See my review of this book dated February 7,2005.

So now we get something new from National Geographic which I expect to be just as popular.It is intended as 'companion' to the above field guide.It is a much larger book,being 7" by 12" and 2" thick,much too big and heavy to carry in the field.This book will be used at home to get more information about a bird that simply can't be included in any reasonably sized field guide.It covers all birds found in North America,including Greenland.There are 4,000 illustrations covering sexes,seasonal plumages,variations,range maps,migration maps and just about anything a Birder would want.It does an excellent job of showing how to differentiate between similar species.There are also 150 stunning color photographs of birds which include the location and month the photo was taken.The book is extremely well made;has excellent paper,printing and color rendition;and has 664 pages.Another outstanding aspect of this book is its cost,$35 US or $48 Can.;unbelievable compared to the cost of books today.

This book has just 'come out'and would make an appreciated gift for any Birder.Whether they are new to the hobby or have been Birding for a long time,or have a casual interest and want a good bird book around the home,cottage ,school or library;it's a terrific choice.

What you got here is a book without equal at a great price,you simply couldn't go wrong.

On top of all that Jon Dunn ,one of the top Birders,was the Chief Consultant for the Field Guide and is also involved with this book;so it is little wonder that this book is so good.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Must-have Geo Companion Book of Birds December 2, 2005

By Noreen O'Brien

Format:Hardcover

This new book published by National Geographic, "Complete Birds of North America: Companion to the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America," edited by Jonathan Alderfer, is a must-have book for bird watchers-yes, even backyard birders.

The National Geographic's "Field Guide to the Birds of North America" has long been a field guide of choice-it's all about the text, rather than the illustrations in this guide.

The "Geo" guide offers fine artwork, as do many other field guides, but the clincher to making a positive identification is found in the textual descriptions of the birds in the "Geo" more frequently than in any other guide. And it's the text in the new companion that makes this book so special, and worth every penny of the $35 price.

Each of the 82 bird families, 962 species, found on the continent north of Mexico, plus islands within 200 miles of the coast with the exception of Greenland, opens with a photograph of a bird representing the family and a general essay about the family. Topics covered include the family's general behavior and distribution, among other details.

For instance, under "taxonomy" for skuas, gulls, terns and skimmers, recent genetic work shows that "skuas and jaegers are found to be more closely related to the alcids than to the gulls." Such information adds a new dimension to birding, making us think anew about the birds we observe so casually.

The artwork of the individual species displays seasonal plumages and different poses of the birds as they might be seen in the field. Within the individual biographical sketches, for instance, the white-breasted nuthatch, the basic information on identification, voice and habitat also has added comments on similar species for comparison purposes, and comments on its dispersal and migration.

Throughout the book, sidebars offer insightful details on topics such as aid to identifying female bluebirds or ways to distinguish between two similar birds in confusing fall plumage, Tennessee and orange-crowned warblers.

At this time of year, large flocks of common redpolls are beginning to arrive in this area, and sometimes a hairy redpoll is hanging out with its cousin, the common. It's no easy task to distinguish a hoary from a common. There is nothing more fun and challenging-and frustrating-than distinguishing two similar species.

With the "Geo" companion in hand, the flock of redpolls at the feeder can be studied and compared, and the sidebar referred to for the finer differences between the two, pointing the way to making a positive identification.

The new hefty tome, at 664 pages, has updated range maps for each species. In some accounts, the Arctic tern for example, an additional, larger "specialty" map shows its long-range migration routes. Having such a visual display, a bird's eye view as it were, on the same page as its range in North America brings a new appreciation for this tiny, 12-inch circumpolar migrant.

National Geographic's Complete Guide, with its 4,000 illustrations of common birds to rare migrants and detailed information on each species, easily acts as a soft step between a field guide and scientific studies for the enquiring birder. For the backyard birder, having such a comprehensive reference tool built into a single guide is the essential fuel needed to lead a birder into looking deeper into the lives of these feathered creatures.

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Excellent content, unacceptale binding. July 1, 2007

By Henry B. Williams

Format:Hardcover

This book has excellent content, but the first printing had the stiff binding that wouldn't allow the book to open fully, making it very difficult to read. The second printing has a more flexible spine where the pages are just stuck to it. After four months of very casual use, the pages began falling out. This is the poorest bound book that I have ever seen.