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National Geographic Birding Essentials [Paperback]

Jonathan Alderfer (Author), Jon L. Dunn (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

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Book Description

October 30, 2007 National Geographic
Birding is the fastest growing wildlife-related outdoor activity in the U.S., with at least a million new birders a year estimated to join an already robust group some 80 million strong. For these beginning and intermediate enthusiasts, National Geographic Birding Essentials is a must. Comprehensive and authoritative, yet engaging and user-friendly, it teaches readers how to begin and improve their birding... what to look and listen for... and how to make sense of what they see and hear. A unique visual component shows actual field guide pages and how to read them, while another compares the same bird in photography versus artwork and explains how to use both for species identification. National Geographic's quality photography is a major highlight of the book, supplemented by pencil drawings and full-color maps to give the novice and intermediate birder a full range of visual information.

Field Ornithologists Jonathan Alderfer and Jon Dunn have crafted a masterful guide, striking just the right balance of practical information and reader-friendly tone. Chapters discuss the pleasures of birding, equipment needed, how to read range maps, birds' physical features, how to identify birds, identification challenges, bird classification and suggested books and journals for building a fine birding library.

National Geographic has established a stellar reputation among birders with our blockbuster Field Guide to the Birds of North America. The tradition continues as we serve an entry-level market that continually needs the helpful, up-to-the-minute information found in National Geographic Birding Essentials.

Frequently Bought Together

National Geographic Birding Essentials + Sibley's Birding Basics + The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America
Price For All Three: $33.49

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  • Sibley's Birding Basics $10.85

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  • The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America $12.01

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jonathan Alderfer is chief consultant for the National Geographic Birding Program and a widely published author and field guide illustrator. Most recently, he was co-author of the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition (Fall 2006).

Jon L. Dunn is an expert on the identification and distribution of North American birds. He has a long history with the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, having served as chief consultant on four previous editions and co-author on the fifth edition (Fall 2006).

Product Details

  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: National Geographic (October 30, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1426201354
  • ISBN-13: 978-1426201356
  • Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #168,792 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

10 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A pretty good introduction to "birding essentials"..., November 11, 2007
By 
This review is from: National Geographic Birding Essentials (Paperback)
National Geographic's Birding Essentials has a lot of great information. However, it is a bit hit and miss (mostly hit), and I'll try to explain why.

First, the "birding essentials" part is debatable. External bird anatomy is a good example here. Knowing which feather is "P3" on a variety of species cannot be put in the "essential" category. There is detail here that appears more appropriate for an ornithology book. Granted, this detail is presented very nicely: great illustrations and explanations. But essential?

Most birders in this country do not use the National Geographic Birding Field Guide. They use one of the other well-know guides: Sibley, Peterson, Audubon, or the Golden Guide. Yet, in this primer, other than noting that other guides exist, nothing was mentioned. At the very least, it would have been appropriate to have a table detailing characteristics of these various popular guides. They aren't even mentioned by name.

The section on binoculars was puzzling. I read Birding Essentials as a book more for beginners, and less for experienced birders (although I admit to learning a few things). Yet the authors really seemed to be promoting binoculars in the $1000 range. Why didn't they just use gold leaf on the cover? It is the rare beginning birder that shells out $1000 for a pair of binoculars. In fact, none of mine even approach the $200 point. Yet I've had great satisfaction watching the behavior of birds. One of the wonders of birding is that you don't need a SUV, particular clothes, a $1000 pair of binocs, and lessons. Birding truly is open to all.

With all this said, in general, I liked this book, and thought it a well-priced volume to give as a gift to my birding friends. It is inexpensive and well-done (you'll save some money for those binoculars). It summarizes a LOT of information, it maintains the tradition of National Geographic"s amazing photographs, and, if you don't have an ornithology text laying around, it has detail as well. It is not overly large. You won't carry it around all day, but you'll throw it in the car. I can see a trip leader carrying a copy around to help with explanations.

Enjoy your time outside.
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars It is like NightWatch to stargazers, November 7, 2007
By 
dad_of_tutu (Vancouver, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: National Geographic Birding Essentials (Paperback)
It is a wonderful intro to birding as a hobby. Tips to buy binoculars and use a guidebook, bird topography, identification, molt, fieldcraft, migration, nomenclature, further reading, websites, everything a beginning birder is eager to know is included. Throughout the book, gorgeous, well-selected pictures(with pointers and extensive captions, often showing similar-looking birds side by side) are used to illustrate and expand the text, which is a major attraction. Also I particularly like the way Alderfer starts a topic with an overview of the basic then moves on to the more complex or challenging.

A great buy though I have Sibley's Birding Basics.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Idiots guide to birdwatching, April 5, 2008
By 
This review is from: National Geographic Birding Essentials (Paperback)
This is an instructive manual. Not a bird identification guide, it's a "how to", like "how to" decoupage your bread box. It starts out at square one, what to look for, and how to buy binoculars. You want to see the little critters, up close and personal. And goes on, step by step from there. How to use that lovely guide, where to find that startling bird, how to know it when you see it. And unlike the afore said "Idiot Guides", it's beautifully illustrated with photographs and diagramed photographs as you would expect from National Geographic. The information is intelligently presented in a logical manner. There's even a section on field sketching and encouragement for keeping not only lists, but descriptive writing about one's sightings. This is the "how to" for observing nature, can't recommend it highly enough.
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