Sibley Birds West: Field Guide to Birds of Western North America

Sibley Birds West is a fantastic resource for those looking to dive into the birdwatching. As someone relatively new to this world, I stumbled upon this book, and it has been an invaluable starting point. The standout feature of this book is the stunning illustrations. David Sibley's artistic talent truly shines through. The illustrations are not only beautiful but also incredibly accurate, bringing each bird to life on the page. The book's format is refreshingly concise, making it accessible to beginners like me. It provides just the right amount of information to get started. This straightforward layout makes it easy to identify birds and enjoy the learning process. Sibley offers brief yet informative descriptions of each species, giving you a great starting point for your birding adventures. What's particularly enjoyable is how he adds interesting details about bird behavior, habitats, and unique traits. Whether you're just starting or have some experience, this book with its captivating illustrations, concise format, and helpful information is a must-have companion for birdwatching. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in exploring the world of birds.

I have never been much of a bird person, but I had to purchase this for my ornithology class lab. This book is a perfect field guide and a practical way to learn about the birds that live around us. The illustrations are very accurate to the actual bird morphology. It’s very compact, making it easily portable or storable. Because of this book, I get excited to identify birds! There is always so much to learn and if you’re willing to try a new hobby of learning and watching the feathery creatures on two legs, this is the book for you! :)

I ordered this book the day after I was hired to survey birds in National Park properties through out the Chihuahuan Desert. The second edition of "Birds West" is the first Sibley publication I've owned and I can not deny it has been a spectacular investment in the field. Up until this point I have relied on National Geographic's field guide to Western Birds and have been referencing both through out the season. What sets Sibley apart is not necessarily his artwork (which is exceptional regardless), but his knack for providing extraordinarily helpful information in a brief format. The Nat Geo guide attempts to cram visual, behavioral, and habitat information into a small paragraph which allows maximal room for illustration. Sibley, on the other hand, has developed a format geared to maximize the recognition of diagnostic traits in the field. Each section is prefaced with a reference page showing each species, grouped into genus, side by side. This really helps you recognize the shared traits of a genus which can make all the difference when you're in a location with 6 wren species coming from 6 different genus. On the individual pages, Sibley gives more than adequate descriptions of the habitat you're likely to find each bird in and his comprehensive illustrations and sketches high light even the least expected diagnostic features. Thanks to this I was able to initially ID a Black-chinned Hummer from its display flight pattern alone. The only short-coming of this regional field guide is a trivial one unique to the situation I find myself in. Surveying areas that fall right on the border that divides Sibley's Western guide from his Eastern, he has chosen to exclude some rarities, like the Great Kiskadee and Ringed Kingfisher, that would've been helpful. These are also excluded from my Nat Geo guide, however I have no doubt Sibley has included them in his comprehensive field guide. For the price, artwork, and the quality and breadth of information provided, this is definitely the book I'd recommend highest to any serious birder looking to gain familiarity with Western species.

This is an excellent book to help ID birds you see in your back yard or birding expedition. In contrast to the Field Guide to Birds of North America, this is smaller and lighter and easier to carry with you on your bird outings. I still carry Petersons to get the bird grouping I am identifying and then honing in on the identity of the bird i am watching. Pictures are excellent and give male, female and juvenile appearances and also what the birds in look like in winter described as non-mating. Particularly for the males who are often very different looking when not in their brighter mating plumage. Included besides the common West of the Rockies birds are occasional visitors and overlap visitors from East of the Rockies. Habitat maps are easy to read and interpret. Highly recommended.

Fairly comprehensive guide; the illustrations while simple, are good representations. I really like that the range maps are on the same page as the birds (no flipping to another section required). Length, wingspan and weight measurements are also on the same page. I will say that the print is a bit small. Most of the write ups are strictly on identification, not much about behaviour. No pictures/illustrations of eggs or nests.

The Sibley Guide to Birds, Second Editionは素晴らしい図鑑だが、如何せんフィールドへの携帯には大き過ぎて適していない。幸いSibley Guideには、西部と東部に分冊され、サイズも小さくなったバージョンがあり、これはその西部版である。 小さくなった分、フルバージョンと比べると、種数は西部用なので減っているのはもちろんだが、イラストが小さくなり、また掲載点数も少なくなっている。また、もとのSibley Guideもテキスト解説部分は少なめであったが、この分冊版はなお一層簡潔になっている。イラストはフィールドガイドとしても少し小さめである。 まだ出たばかりなので、校正上のいくつかの間違いがある。急ぎでなければ、来年以降の修正が反映されたPrintingでの購入をお勧めする。 一応この図鑑の大きさや掲載種数を以下に記載する。 掲載種数 715種、 大きさ 12.4 x 2.8 x 19.8 cm、 重さ 635g、ページ数 477＋使い方や名称のページ

Laas detallada para la region

La mejor guía de aves para la zona

El libro llegó en perfectas condiciones y el contenido es muy bueno y completo, lo recomiendo ampliamente para todos aquellos que les interesen las aves