About.com Rating
The Bottom Line
As a reliable, convenient and easy to use guide, it is no surprise that Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America is one of the most popular field guides for North American birds. Suitable for both beginning and advanced birders, this guide is a must-have for any birder's field bag.
Pros
- Enhanced photos with pointers highlight field markings clearly.
- Sturdy binding holds even with hard use.
- Range maps and descriptions face photos for convenient reference.
- Index includes check boxes for easy listing.
Cons
- Compact size limits number of photos for each species.
- Lacks range maps for rare bird sightings and records.
Description
- Title: Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America
- Author: Kenn Kaufman
- Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
- Publication Date: April, 2005 (most recent edition)
- Format: Paperback
- Bird Artwork: Photography
- Dimensions: 7.6" (19.3 cm) tall, 4.75" (12.1 cm) wide, 1" (2.5 cm) thick
- Page Count: 392
- ISBN: 978-0-618-57423-0
- Price: $18.95
Guide Review - Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America
The Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America is sturdy, easy to use and informative – all qualities that make it a superior birding field guide. A 23-page introduction provides a pictorial table of contents for fast reference as well as a range map key. Introductory birding tips cover a range of practical topics such as optics, bird topography, pishing, identification tips, bird variations, conservation and birding ethics.
This guide profiles all the resident and migratory birds of North America and includes abbreviated profiles of regularly recorded vagrants. Profiles are organized by avian family in color-coded sections, and the introduction to each section includes basic background information on that bird family. Individual profiles, though brief, include written descriptions of each bird's voice, appearance, behavior and habitat preferences. Written descriptions and range maps are placed on facing pages to their relevant photographs, making the guide easy to use for quick reference.
It is the photography in this guide that truly stands out. Bird photos are digitally retouched to enhance key field markings without distorting the bird's true appearance, giving this guide the benefit of photographic artwork with the precision of artistic drawings. Unfortunately, the guide's compact size prohibits multiple images and poses for most birds, though dimorphic genders are covered and many species include juvenile or flight images when they would be most useful for identification. Where distinct subspecies are present they are represented, which makes this guide useful in case of species splits, giving it a longevity for practical birding.
For a paperback guide this book is exceptionally well constructed. The sturdy cover may fray at the corners and edges, but it holds together even under hard, frequent field use. The glossy pages provide good color and can themselves withstand minor wear. Dedicated birders will especially appreciate the index that includes checkboxes for maintaining a North American life list.
Compact, easy to use and comprehensive, the Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America is a top field guide choice for many birders, both in the field and to enjoy as a convenient reference for backyard birds.