Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America (Peterson Field Guides(R)) | 
 enlarge | Author: Roger Tory Peterson
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Co
Category: Book
List Price: $26.00
Buy New: $13.56
You Save: $12.44 (48%)
New (42) Used (18) from $5.74
Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 2472
Media: Vinyl Bound
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 544
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.6
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.2
ISBN: 0618966145
Dewey Decimal Number: 598.097
EAN: 9780618966141
Publication Date: August 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In celebration of the centennial of Roger Tory Peterson's birth comes a historic collaboration among renowned birding experts and artists to preserve and enhance the Peterson legacy. This new book combines the Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Birds and Peterson Field Guide to Western Birds into one volume, filled with accessible, concise information and including almost three hours of video podcasts to make bird watching even easier.
• 40 new paintings
• Digital updates to Peterson's original paintings, reflecting the latest knowledge of bird identification
• All new maps for the most up-to-date range information available
• Text rewritten to cover the U.S. and Canada in one guide
• Larger trim size accommodates range maps on every spread
• Contributors include: Michael DiGiorgio, Jeff Gordon, Paul Lehman, Michael O'Brien, Larry Rosche, and Bill Thompson III
• Includes URL to register for access to video podcasts
Excerpts from Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America
Click on each image below to see a larger view
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Colorful songbirds with heavy, seed-crushing bills, cardinals and grosbeaks are popular at feeders.
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In North America, the Orchard and Baltimore Orioles are fairly widespread in the East; Bullock's is widespread in the West; and the Spot-breasted Oriole is limited to South Florida.
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Peterson sometimes painted over figures on a plate and sometimes even cut them out. Canyon Wren was missing from the original art. Michael O'Brien painted a new Canyon Wren for inclusion in the new field guide.
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The Orange Bishop is native to Africa but has been introduced in California. Peterson had not painted this bird for his field guides, so Michael O’Brien painted this one.
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Thumbnail maps help you determine at a glance if a bird is likely to be in your region.
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Large maps in back give detailed range information.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 The ultimate and presumably conclusive Peterson Bird Guide August 2, 2008
37 out of 40 found this review helpful
My 5-star rating is based entirely on sentiment for Roger Tory Peterson and what his work means to all nature enthusiasts in the US today. Like countless other birders I grew up with an abiding interest in the avian life around me informed almost entirely by RTP's field guides starting with the 1947 Second Edition (still on my library shelf). This new volume almost certainly will be the last published that reproduces King Penguin's incredible art in field guide format, given that it combines birds from both the Eastern and Western guides for the first time, brings taxonomy up to the most recent level, and finally adopts the most up-to-date species order. But this is the ultimate Peterson, perhaps in the most poignant sense, because this volume celebrates the centennial of Peterson's birth, right down to the date it was to be released (but I still thank Amazon for shipping it a month early). In my humble opinion, anyone and everyone who likes birds even a little bit needs to own this book.
Now I do have a few points to make that are directed at the book's value as a field guide in 2008, and my opinion here is that a rating of 4-stars (or perhaps even 3) is more appropriate. The "trim size" is indeed larger than previous, by about an inch on a side, bringing the height to just one-half inch less than the Sibley Guide (regularly criticized as too large to carry in the field). The art is less crowded for sure, but portability suffers. The paintings are for the most part the exact same as earlier editions, with frequent rearrangements (digitally performed) to account for the East/West combination and taxonomy modifications. New paintings by Michael O'Brien are inserted and are virtually indistinguishable from RTP's own work - a very high compliment to Mr. O'Brien, if you ask me. But quite a few species are no longer illustrated at all - they were previously depicted on plates in the back of either guide labeled "accidentals", "vagrants', or "strays". While these birds are highly unlikely to be seen by the average observer, their inclusion was a sign of thoroughness which is now missing. I had hoped for a major revision in the art of those species shown only by a "head shot", but I am completely disappointed here, as the owls are still mostly missing their beautiful body plumage and gulls and terns still don't stand on pilings or the beach to display their mantles and tails. I haven't yet tried the podcasts, but I'm sure they will be informative, and are certainly a novel inclusion in a field guide.
In conclusion this is a terrific book for one's birding library, but I'm not at all sure that I will be taking the new Peterson to the field with me, as I always did the old ones before the National Geographic Guide came out years ago. Even the more recent photographic guides (National Wildlife Federation last year and Smithsonian this year) are more likely to be carried due to their more compact size. But to be completely honest I have studied the Peterson paintings so often and for so long that the images are permanently recorded in my memory, meaning I really don't need to carry any printed version of them - and what higher praise or better endorsement can I give but that?
"Helpful" and "indispensable" September 13, 2008
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
The reviews here on Amazon and elsewhere describe the great value of this lovely tribute to Roger Tory Peterson for anyone interested in birds in the United State and Canada. It was fun to compare those reviews with how the first of Peterson's books was received back in 1934; here's John Kieran writing for "The New York Times":
'This handy volume is offered as "a bird book on a new plan," possibly under the influence of the New Deal in wider but not always greener fields. The jacket warning includes the public notice that "This book will at once take its place as an indispensable pocket companion for Eastern bird students, both beginning and advanced." If the word "helpful" is substituted for the word "indispensable," this reviewer will accept the claim without further question.' (The entire review appears in the first Comment.)
Over the next decades, the jacket's claim proved to be prescient; for me and for many other bird lovers the book became not only "helpful" but "indispensable". We have three well annotated versions in our library, one stored right next a pair of binoculars.
Peterson's contributions to birding continue with the publisher of this memorial volume; "The mission of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History is to continue the legacy of Roger Tory Peterson by promoting the teaching and study of nature, and to thereby create knowledge of and appreciation and responsibility for the natural world."
Today there are a large number of excellent guidebooks which make Peterson "helpful" but no longer strictly "indispensable"; here's my personal checklist of some other great birding books and resources:
The Sibley Guide to Birds with its wonderful paintings.
The Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America with its excellent photographs.
The National Geographic Complete Birds of North America with its comprehensive coverage of all birds north of Mexico.
Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion: A Comprehensive Resource for Identifying North American Birds describing birds in words only.
The Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America by Ted Floyd with multiple photos and CDs of bird songs.
And, of course, the almost limitless resources offered by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology such as A Field Guide to Bird Songs: Eastern and Central North America
One can carp a bit about the title; "North America" apparently excludes Mexico, which has a tenth the area of the US and Canada but 30 percent more bird species. Birds of Mexico and Central America (Princeton Illustrated Checklists) is a great way to start exploring the birds of that part of North America.
Nonetheless, Kieran's summary paragraph is still absolutely accurate: "But for the amateur, the eager bird student, the text and charts will be a real help in the big days afield or the quiet evenings at home when a satisfying expedition has been completed, or an even more ambitious one is being planned."
I would argue this book is still "indispensable" for any bird lover's library, simply as a collector's item, but much more for its great beauty and for it's wonderful "feel" in the hand and and when lying flat on the table.
Robert C. Ross 2008
Peterson Field Guide October 12, 2008
The book was just what I was looking for. The beautifully detailed pictures help me pick out the birds I'm looking at.
A fitting tribute to America's most popular Birdwatcher. October 20, 2008
There is no disputing the fact that Roger Tory Peterson did more than any other person in bringing Birdwatching to the attention,passion and popularity of so many people during his lifetime.
It was by using his skills as an artist, and marrying it with his great love of birds and searching for and identifying birds that led him to creating his "Field Guide to the Birds" in 1934, at the young age of 26.What he did was to use his skills to produce a book that took the difficult job of identifying birds in the field (wild),from the domain of textbooks and museums to a simple,easy to use and understand,pocket- sized field guide;that was the "tool" needed to advance the interest in birds, from a few people, into the most popular sport and hobby in America that it is today.
He used these same skills in creating a whole series of "Peterson Field Guides" on other fields of Natural History.For this,he became world famous and was awarded numerous awards and honors.
While this latest edition is a far cry from the original,180 page, black & white guide; the 1934 guide was a major breakthrough that set the standard and direction that field guides would follow ,resulting the numerous wonderful guides we have today.
To really become familiar with America's favorite Birdwatcher;I suggest one get hold of "The World of Roger Tory Peterson" ,An Authorized Biography by John Devlin and Grace Naismith,published in 1977. (Available on the Used Market) or the more recent biography ,"Birdwatcher-The Life of Roger Tory Pterson" by Elizabeth Rosenthal ,and the Amazon Reviews. Roger Tory Peterson also wrote a wonderful book with James Fisher,"Wild America"in 1955 .Fisher,Britain's most famous Birdwatcher,joined his friend Peterson in a 100 day adventurous experience of "seeing"600 birds in North America.
In spite of his reknowned prominence and huge work output;Peterson was always extremely generous with his time. Anyone who ever met him commented on his friendlness and had a story to tell. I had the honor to meet him in Soccoro,New Mexico.He was the keynote speaker at the first, of what would become the annual "Festival of Cranes" at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.Dr.Peterson also spent the afternoon in a tiny Bookstore in Socoro meeting Birders,swapping stories and signing copies of his Field Guides.I was flabbergasted when I noticed a lady with a whole box of her field guides for signature. I thought Dr.Peterson would "blow his top";but to everybody's suprise, he welcomed her with a big smile and signed every last one of them and commented on many that were obviously old and well worn from much use. When he signed a copy of his "Eastern Birds" for me;we talked about some Birders he had met in Toronto many before and was pleased to hear that they were still active. When I commented on how carefully he signed my book,rather than just a quick scribble;he said "If people care enough to wait for me to sign their book ;I feel I should be honored and do it properly".When I returned home,I compared his signature with one I had in his "Wild America";I found it to have been just as carefully done,way back in 1955.
Several years ago,I used to draw a sketch of a rare or new bird I was looking to add to my "list" I would get out several of my books to use in my drawings. Without exception,I would always end up using Peterson's illustration because it always gave the best representation of the fine distinctions to look for,especilly when trying to differentiate on bird from a similar species.Little wonder,that was this great Artist's and Birder's talent.
As great as Dr. Peterson was;nobody's perfect.Birders can tend to be a pretty discriminating bunch when it comes to field guides and bird books.
When Peterson's first Field Guide came out in 1934 ,there were only 2000 copies at the first printing. It is a greatly sought copy by birders who have large bird book collections. If you think you have found one;be careful!! The way to confirm a first printing of the First Edition is to check the index.A tyopgraphical error resulted with Bog-pumper being shown as Bob-pumper.Now, how about this booboo by "The Great One" He once did a plate of Woodpeckers showing the Black-backed Woodpecker (3-toes) with four toes. This plate appeared in several publications including "The Birds of Newfoundland" by Peters and Burleigh.Even modern Field Guides are not without slip-ups.The First Edition of the National Geographic "Field Guide to the Birds of North America ",showed the Connecticut Warblerwith huge, oversized feet. A check of the Third Edition corrected this somewhat by covering the feet with leaves;and later, corrected in later Editions.Oh well,something for birders to look for when they can't go birding.
A wonderful book that should be in every Birder's library.
The new Peterson guide is a winner October 27, 2008
Over many years I have prefered the Peterson field guides to birds over all the other authors. What I like best are the arrows that simplify identification. The arrows are especially useful for beginners. I also believe that Peterson's illustrations are superior to any other guide. In this new edition the illustrations are bigger and better than ever. I also appreciate the larger range maps that are included on each page (in addition to bigger maps in the back). Now too, one will no longer have to consult two books when birding in central and southwestern United States. The new guide will be especially useful when birding in Texas.
However, the new north American guide is quite heavy, although not as heavy as the Sibley. Time will tell if I will carry it into the field wherever I go. Also, I will probably continue to keep my Sibley in the car to reference even more illustrations.
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