Sibley's Birding Basics by David Allen Sibley
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Book Reviews of Sibley's Birding Basics
Book Review: Fantastic book
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great augment to any birder's library on the basics of bird identification in the field. David Sibley is a awesome writer and can bring his knowledge down to an understandable level.Book Review: Wonderful book
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great book for beginners but also a very helpful refresher for experienced birders.Book Review: Excellent but strikes me as somewhat odd
Summary: 4 Stars
Let me depart a bit from the other glowing reviews to point out something I think is slightly odd about this book. While the book has many outstanding features, I'm not sure it is the ideal "birding basics" book. The first half of the book has some terrific information but is often light on content (the equipment section, birding by geography section, finding more info section) as well as some glaring gaps (breeding habits, migration patterns, birding history in North America). It's one thing to tell a beginning birder how the gestalt of a White Crowned Sparrow is different from that of a White Throated Sparrow but does the beginning birder even know when to expect either in their area? The ending on ethics and conservation is so small it almost plays to the criticism that birders are more in it for the sport than for birds themselves.
The second half of the book is a stunning review of the external structure of birds. It is better than many ornithology texts in this regard. Everything you could ever need to know about feather structure, molt, proportional differences and color perception is presented along with an excellent introduction to taxonomy and bird song.
Sibley is obviously playing to his strength here which is fine because what he knows, he really knows if you get my point. The art work is great, of course.
I don't want to come across as knocking this book. I own it, enjoy it and have learned a great deal from it. I recommend that you buy it. I'm just not sure it will serve this generation of up and comming birders as the ideal "basics" book the way Jack Connor's "The Complete Birder" did for many in the prior generation.
What do you think of a basics book that can take the time to touch on a birds nasal bristles or gestalt but omit a basic discussion on migration or breeding? Maybe it's me but it strikes me as a bit odd. I think the second half could have been published as part of a book called "Sibley's Ornithology for Birders" or something to that effect.
Book Review: Sibley's Birding Basics
Summary: 4 Stars
This title was bought as a companion to Sibley's Field Guide to Western Birds. It was suggested when I ordered the Field Guide. It offers many different aspects for learning to identify birds and is helpful when trying to determine differences between look-alike birds. Serves as a useful reference for improving how to observe birds and the importance of their surroundings.Book Review: Birding for the Beginner
Summary: 4 Stars
This book was required for my field ornithology class. I preferred it over the National Geographic Birding Essentials book.