Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!unmvax!nmtsun!john
From: john@nmtsun.nmt.edu (John Shipman)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Bird Identification Books
Summary: my favorite field guides
Message-ID: <3569@nmtsun.nmt.edu>
Date: 29 Nov 89 18:32:40 GMT
References: <23973@vrdxhq.verdix.com>
Reply-To: john@nmtsun.nmt.edu (John Shipman)
Organization: Zoological Data Processing
Lines: 53

Ed Matthews (edm@vrdxhq.verdix.com) writes:
+---
| The Christmas season is upon us and my wife would like to get
| me a new birding book...Can anyone give me a recommendation?
+---

Probably the best all-around field guide is ``Field Guide to
the Birds of North America,'' 2nd ed., by the National
Geographic Society (1987).  Most of the serious birders I
know prefer it if they're only going to carry one book.  It
shows more different plumages of the common birds and also
has the most rarities and exotics.  The range maps and ID
hints are pretty current.  It retails for $21.  Avoid the
first edition, which has numerous errors.

The budget alternative is ``Guide to Field Identification:
Birds of North America'' by Robbins (1983), priced at $10.
This one is physically a little smaller and misses a lot
more of the plumages that I see, but it is adequate for most
birders in most situations.

The three-volume ``Audubon Society Master Guide to Birding''
(1986?, $42), is not easy to carry in the field without some
kind of backpack, but is worth it for serious birders who
need all the help they can get on tough groups such as
_Empidonax_ flycatchers.

My standard field kit consists of a Nat. Geo. guide and the
``Peterson Field Guide: Hawks'' (1987, $14) since I'm a hawk
fan and we get a lot of screwball hawk plumages around here.
I use a ``Pelican Pouch'' ($10.50) to carry these on my
belt.  If I'm not expecting anything rare, sometimes I'll
just put a Robbins guide in my back jeans pocket instead
(the Geo guide is just a bit large for this).  The 3-volume
Audubon Master Guide lives in the car, and on serious
expeditions I'll also load up some special books like the
Hayman's ``Shorebirds: An Identification Guide'' (pricey at
$34 but really excellent for those tough shorebird
plumages).

Everything I've mentioned in this posting is available from
ABA Sales, the commercial arm of the American Birding
Association.  ABA members get discounts.  Call them at
800-634-7736 (719-634-7736 in Canada) or write to POB 6599,
Colorado Springs, CO 80934.  They usually have everything in
stock and will do rush orders.

Disclaimer: I have no connection with ABA sales, I just
like their service.
-- 
John Shipman/Zoological Data Processing/Socorro, New Mexico
john@nmtsun.nmt.edu, ucbvax!unmvax!nmtsun!john  
``Let's go outside and commiserate with nature.'' [Dave Farber]


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