Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Western Region [Paperback]

Donald Stokes (Author), Lillian Stokes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 29, 1996

The easiest-to-use and most comprehensive field guide to North American birds-from the country's preeminent writers on birds and nature Drawing on more than twenty years' experience as bird and wildlife experts, Donald and Lillian Stokes have produced field guides that are factually, visually, and organizationally superior to any other books you can buy. You'll find: * All the identification information on a single page-color photographs, range map, and detailed description. No more fumbling to match photos with text! * For fast reference-a compact alphabetical index inside the front and back covers. * More than 900 high-resolution color identification photographs. * An illustrated Quick Guide to the most common backyard and feeder birds. * Convenient colored tabs keyed to each bird group. * Concise and comprehensive text, with information on habitat; plumage variation; feeding, nesting, and mating behavior; bird feeder proclivity; and-for the first time in any guide-population trends and conservation status.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Together these new field guides cover the continental United States (except western Alaska) and Canada; the 100th meridian is the dividing line between regions. In each volume, the taxonomically arranged species accounts (mostly one per page; occasionally two similar species are combined) include common and scientific names; one to three color photos; terse comments on identifying features, feeding, nesting, other behavior, habitat, voice, and population trends; and a range map. Special "learning pages" precede some difficult groups like gulls and sparrows. Most species of regular occurrence in the region are included; a few extremely local rarities are omitted. The text is clearly written, accurate, and up-to-date; the 1995 AOU (American Ornithologists' Union) Checklist changes are included. With so many other North American bird guides from the Audubon Society, Roger Tory Peterson, and others currently in print, any new guide should meet some special need. These works are particularly suited to novice birders. Putting all the data about a species on a single page facilitates use (e.g., it isn't possible to depict every varying plumage of all species), and the intentional omission of rarities that barely reach the region is valid. The inclusion of population data is unique and valuable. These titles supplement but do not supplant existing guides; the appropriate regional volume is recommended for public and academic libraries.?Paul B. Cors, Univ. of Wyoming Lib., Laramie
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1st edition (January 29, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316818100
• ISBN-13: 978-0316818100
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.9 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #469,167 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very impressive and helpful., July 30, 2000

By 

sauerkraut - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region (Stokes Field Guides) (Paperback)

Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region is a very impressive and helpful bird identification tool. This happens to be a field guide that I feel confident using whenever I go birdwatching. I find that aspect to be the most important of any field guide--whether it's good enough to actually be trusted out in the field. This bird identification guide contains over 900 full color photographs. Also, all of the information pertaining to the particular species of bird is on the same page: this includes the color photograph, range map, and detailed text information (behavior, voice, feeding, nesting, and habitat for example). Having all of the information on one page is always very important. The book also contains quick alphabetical indexes inside the front and back covers that happen to be very useful for quick reference. The guide has a color tab index to bird groups, a quick guide to the most common backyard and feeder birds (good for beginners), and learning pages, too. I find the color photographs in this field guide to be clear, crisp, and very good. The guide also includes idenification symbols on the pages of particular birds that use feeders or birdhouses. A glossary of terms is included, too, along with a page that points out the names of the anatomical parts of a bird. Donald and Lillian Stokes have done an admirable job of putting this guide together. It's one of my favorite bird identification tools. I recommend it.

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must have for any real birder., October 13, 1999

By 

[e-mail] ([e-mail]) (Lima, OH (book used in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region (Stokes Field Guides) (Paperback)

This book provides bird watchers with an excellent guide to almost every bird found in the Eastern half of the US. The quick index and color tabs make finding the right page easy for most birders, and the introduction provides the information an inexperienced birder needs to learn how to use this book. The photographs are mostly excellent and show most of the important field marks. Immature, female, and non-breeding season plummage pictures are provided for many birds, and a wonderful description of the bird's plummage is always included. The maps, although sometimes inaccurate (as I've found with most guides) are easy to read. The addition of shading for migration routes would help, but could be confusing for some birders. The learning pages provide an excellent comparison of similar species; especially useful for sparrows and warblers. I would reccomend purchasing Peterson's guide in addition to this, but if you can only buy one, this is the one I'd buy. Keep in mind that every person is different, and will benifit from different organizations of species. Purchase the book you think will suit your preferences best.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have Field Guide, December 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region (Stokes Field Guides) (Paperback)

This is an extremely helpful book for backyard birdwatchers. It may also be a great book for experienced birdwatchers, but since I'm a relative novice, I can't speak to that. It was one of the first books I purchased on the topic, and I would still rank it the best of the books I've seen. The color coding is a great idea for quick i.d.. The photos that accompany each description are clean and crisp, with very few exceptions, and I prefer the actual photos to sketches, like you find in some guides. The Learning Pages are helpful for newcomers to birdwatching. I would highly recommend this book for any birder in the eastern region of the U.S.