[.ca] Peterson Field Guide Color-In Book: Birds (ISBN 0618307222)

From Amazon.com:
Roger Tory Peterson, one of America's pre-eminent artist-naturalists and arguably the inventor of the field guide, made people love birds like no one since John James Audubon. A Field Guide to the Birds, first published in 1934, remains his most famous and wonderful work. The manual stood instantly apart from the dichotomous keys zoologists used to identify species, since Peterson grouped paintings of related species together and used arrows to, as he explained, "pinpoint the key field marks." This way, watchers could spot birds from a distance and avoid, as he archly put it, "the bird-in-hand characters that the early collectors relied on." Birders could use the guide where they needed it most--outdoors--on living birds flitting quickly by. In addition to detailed illustrations, Peterson offers charming (and useful) descriptions of each avian citizen's appearance, behavior, voice, and range. There is also priceless anecdotal information, based on decades of field experience, as in this description of the common house sparrow (Passer domesticus): "Familiar to everyone. Sooty city birds often bear little resemblance to clean country males with the black throat, white cheeks, chestnut nape." His transliterations of song are just as quietly marvelous. For instance, Pluvialis squatarola, or the black-bellied plover, makes things clear with "a plaintive slurred whistle, tlee-oo-eee or whee-er-ee (middle note lower)." Peterson's original handbook covered birds of Eastern North America, and has since been followed by guides to Western birds, animal tracks, butterflies, and many other natural wonders. He and his team updated "The Birders' Bible" as new species were discovered and classifications modified. Generations of enthusiastic watchers owe Peterson a debt of gratitude for making ornithology accessible. But equally important, he showed scientists that finding beauty in living animals, and not just cataloging the measurements of dead ones, was crucial. Roger Tory Peterson died in 1996. He will be remembered as a passionate naturalist, a keen observer of living things, and a gifted artist and teacher. --Therese Littleton

the best I looked at:
I looked at nine or ten bird books over the weekend before finally deciding on this one. I like it's compact size, durable cover and it's very complete index. The most important reason for my decision, however, is the fact that it shows pictures of both male and female birds where the female bird's plummage and head differ from that of the male. None of the other books I checked showed female birds or only showed them in very rare instances. I also like this book because it shows most birds in both standing or swimming positions and also in flight. There are also occasional drawings of chicks. The text that accompanies the pictures is necessarily brief but covers: Latin and common names, description, food, range, migratory pattern, habitat, voice and similar species. Also included is a "Systematic Checklist" so you can keep a "life list" of all the birds you've seen. There is a guide to identifying birds by visual categories (swimmers, birds of prey, waders, perching birds, etc), size, tail and wing patterns. The last part of the book contains maps illustrating each bird's range which makes it easy to compare the habitat of, for example, an Olive-Sided Flycatcher with an Acadian Flycatcher. Obviously this is a guidebook and not the type of book you sit down and read through, but I have found myself reading the entries for the often amusing "voice" sections. Here's the one for the Chestnut-Sided Warbler: "Song, similar to Yellow Warbler's; 'see see see see Miss Beech'er' or 'pleased pleased pleased to meet'cha;' penultimate note accented, last note dropping." Hey, someone who knows what "penultimate" really means!

The first and the best:
Peterson first published his revolutionary field guide in 1925, and ever since it has been the trusty companion of amateur and advanced birder alike. The popularity of his field guide was based on the system that he devised whereby he included coloured plates of each bird, and noted key identifying features of each bird, thus allowing the birder to make quick and confident identifications. The system is not fool-proof, of course, as some species closely resemble one another, but oversall, the tricks one learns from the Peterson field guide provides an excellent foundation for the aspiring birder. A number of other guides have come along, but I still find this one more than suitable, and therefore the one that I continue to rely on.

Simply the best bird book for the backyard bird lover in MI:
This book is great. It gives you detailed pictures, silhoutte shapes and habitat areas. As a complete moron when it comes to bird identity, this book is very helpful.

It does it all for less-experienced birders:
After going through several other guides (some too bulky, some too useless), this one is perfect. It is extremely thorough, and is set up to be very user-friendly. Using it, we have correctly identified almost a dozen birds that we had been mystified by or had incorrectly identified using other guides. Especially helpful are the many different kinds of views given, including what the birds look like in flight, from below, which is one of the more frequent ways a bird is seen. We have yet to encounter a bird this guide could not identify. If you outgrow this one, consider going professional!

Have Binoculars and the Peterson Guide in Hand:
This guide offers excellent photographic representations of every bird you can imagine in a well designed format. Accompaning each picture is a brief written decsription of the bird which include differentiating features from similiar birds. Each birds range is illustrated with maps at the back of the book. Searching through the pictures to make an identification can be tedious at times. However, I have never closed this book without finding my subject. On the trail or sitting in your backyard, you will find this book exceptionally helpful.