First, I want to say that this bird book represents a fine overall effort by its author, editors, designer, photographers, devisors of range maps, and other contributors. While it has clear limitations as a field guide, it's still an excellent reference for birdwatchers.
I need to provide some background here so that folks will better understand my comments regarding this new 2008 birding field guide. Field guides are used by nature lovers and natural resource professionals mostly to IDENTIFY birds, wildflowers, rocks and minerals, reptiles, trees, and any number of other creatures, plants, and non-living objects found in our natural environment.
In regard to birds there are hundreds of available field guides but their numbers shrink as one either limits the geographical area that they cover, or, as the number of species in such guides expand, (e.g., from "Hawks of the U.S." to "Birds of the U.S.").
In this instance we have a birder's field guide which covers all species found in the United States (including Alaska) and Canada. So, there are really only three other field guides which closely rival the instant one and they are
The Sibley Guide to Birds,
National Geographic Field Guide To The Birds Of North America, 4th Edition, and,
Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America (Peterson Field Guides(R)). (I don't mention
A Guide to Field Identification: Birds of North America ["Golden Field Guide"] because it offers very limited information). This is not to say that I use the large Sibley guide while I'm out on bird hikes - I don't because it's too bulky. The National Geographic guide is just small enough to carry in the field as is the Peterson guide but, again, they offer limited information, (which is okay if all you want to do is IDENTIFY the birds). The Smithsonian guide suffers from the same perplexing size and weight problem as the large Sibley guide, albeit the former is actually 12 percent smaller than Sibley (I refer to the "large" Sibley guide because it is now also available in essentially an "eastern" and a "western" version.)
Both my wife and I have been active birdwatchers for many years (her science is far superior to mine!) and we own every available birding field guide for our regions of study and duplicates of some. After hundreds of hikes, camping trips, and other bird outings, I'm pretty aware of the likes and dislikes of birders concerning field guides. The one conclusion that most of us share is that a field guide should be COMPACT and LIGHT so it can be comfortably carried in a large pocket. To achieve this we now know that field guides should be split into two volumes: Eastern U.S. and Canada, and, Western U.S. and Canada. One does not need a western guide for birding in say, Pennsylvania, so why deal with the excess bulk? That's what we'll be doing when we carry either the large Sibley guide or this one into the woods or marsh.
The large Sibley Guide weighs 2 ˝ pounds. The Smithsonian Guide weighs 2 pounds (I weighed them both on accurate culinary scales). That's slightly too much for comfort in the field even if your pocket is big enough. Hearty souls might carry the Smithsonian guide in a day pack or, in a new and innovative piece of birding attire called "Big Pockets". The outer dimensions of The Smithsonian Guide are: 8" x 6" x 1 Ľ".
Which field guides DO I see during outings of experienced birders? In addition to the large Sibley guide, there are only four which are used 98% of the time:
A Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern and Central North America(Peterson, essentially divided into two separate volumes, "eastern" and "western")
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America(divided into two separate volumes, eastern" and "western")
National Geographic Field Guide To The Birds Of North America, 4th EditionA Guide to Field Identification: Birds of North America("Golden Field Guide")
I use The Peterson Field Guide and my wife uses the National Geographic Field Guide. I think that many of us have stayed with the Peterson guide for no better reason than the fact that it's been a real workhorse and a good friend over many years of hobbyist birding. However, we always carry the large Sibley guide in the car as a back-up reference and now, we will additionally be carrying along the Smithsonian Field Guide. And here's a good place to point out the unique Hallmark Feature of the Smithsonian Field Guide: IT HAS INCORPORATED ACTUAL PHOTOS OF ALL THE BIRDS! All the others rely solely on artwork of the birds so having actual photos is going to be a great advantage and probably offers the chief reason as to why folks should keep it close at hand on birding trips.
Here are my criteria for selecting a birding field guide. I have also rendered the "answers" as to how the Smithsonian Field Guide fits into these criteria:
1. size (will it fit in a large pocket or daypack?) - daypack, but not cargo pants pockets.
2. photos, art (color?), or line drawings? - actual photographs, from 1-5 photos per species.
3. quality of bird descriptions - superb!
4. illustrated "field marks" included? (these are little marks on the drawings to direct the birder's attention to significant nuances of each bird species' appearance) - no.
5. are both Spring and Fall plumages illustrated? (most important with warbler species and certain shorebirds) - not very much.
6. juvenile birds illustrated? - quite a bit, especially where it's important.
7. font size and type (straight-forward and big enough to read easily?) - a little dicey but readable.
8. binding types (softcover versions are always best in the field) - softcover.
9. credentials of the author(s)/illustrator(s) - superb.
10. water resistant/waterproof binding and/or pages? - yes.
11. pleasing format/layout? (this varies widely from guide to guide and is subjective from one person to another). - yes, quite usable and pleasing, not confusing.
12. terminology (technical or common terminology?) - anyone can understand, plus book includes a glossary of terms.
13. range maps included? (very important for new birders!) - yes, including winter, year-round, breeding, migration, and "rare" range maps.
14. migration route maps included? - refer to regular range maps.
15. a "fast" index? (this is difficult to determine in advance because it's a subjective evaluation, varying with individuals -- this involves how fast one can locate a bird drawing/description, utilizing the index to refer to the page on which it is featured) - yes, and it includes a second "quick index" which is a very nice feature.
16. price? (the least important consideration) - very reasonable for the high quality of this publication.
No field guide offers the "best of everything" for two specific reasons:
1. The book would become a tome which, in itself, would totally disqualify it as a field guide. Remember, the first purpose of any field guide is to help the user to IDENTIFY something - so, you don't need a "life history" or any other field use impedimenta.
2. No two birders could ever agree on what is "best"!
The Smithsonian Field Guide also features a birder's checklist (life-list, in the back of the book) which can be maintained as one "collects" sightings of each species. Also, secured inside the rear cover is a "birdsong DVD" which will be equally useful to experienced birders and to newbies of this great pastime as well. Be advised that if your DVD player represents older technology (as mine does) this disc will read out as "incompatible" with your player. My five year-old computer rejected it as well. A final nice feature of the Smithsonian guide is that each bird's status is noted by the ABA coding system, a device for conveying chiefly the abundance of any particular bird. I don't recall seeing this caveat in any other field guide, albeit, in a few years this feature will render the book out-of-date as the status of individual bird species change.
My career has been that of a State Park Ranger, State Game Protector, Federal Game Warden, and Instructor of Natural Resources at the local university. As a consequence of that professional exposure, in addition to my numerous informal bird outings, I have met hundreds of great birders and have had the singular privilege of discussing the frequent topic of field guides with them. Other than binoculars, no piece of equipment or accessory is more important to a birder than his or her field guide.
In summary, I award
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