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Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America
written by Kenn Kaufman
Studio : Houghton Mifflin
by Houghton Mifflin
Publisher : Houghton Mifflin
Released : 2005-04-14
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9780618574230
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 55 reviews)
List Price : $18.95
Our Price : $5.96
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Product Description |
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In 2000 Houghton Mifflin first published the Kaufman Focus Guide to the Birds of North America. Critically acclaimed for its innovative design, the Kaufman guide began introducing a new generation to birding. In 2005, this new Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America is now the most up-to-date field guide, including dozens of changes by the American Ornithologists' Union in official names of birds; the addition of new species to reflect the latest scientific discoveries; and dozens of updated range maps. Additional information helps beginning birdwatchers get started, all in the same compact format that has made this guide the easiest to use for fast identification in the field. |
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Americancivilwar.com Review |
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World-renowned birder Kenn Kaufman addresses a long-running paradox of bird field guides with his Focus Guide. While beginning birdwatchers prefer photographic guides like those by Donald Stokes, the physical traits that make identification easier are more readily discerned in the idealized paintings of illustrative guides like those by Roger Tory Peterson and National Geographic. Kaufman's groundbreaking work combines the best of both approaches by digitally enhancing photographic images to show the characteristics that are sometimes not apparent in photographs. Some other distinguishing features include: - The guide is organized by bird family groupings rather than strict taxonomic classification; this is a feature that will appeal especially to beginners.
- Text descriptions and range maps for each species appear on the page facing the plate of respective bird images.
- Important field marks are highlighted.
- Color-coded tabs identify each grouping of birds (waders, warblers, sparrows, etc.) for quick thumb indexing.
Kaufman's efforts follow the auspicious tradition of Roger Tory Peterson, whose portable field guide system was the first of its kind to meet the needs of the average birdwatcher. "It's the guide I've always wanted," says Kaufman, "and I suspect most birders will feel the same way." |
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Birds in he Northeast |
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This is a good book to have in the house. Finding various birds is always fast and easy. |
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Sensible, Easy to use, and Underrated. |
I think a lot of birdwatchers will pass up on this guide because it lacks the aesthetic charm of Peterson and the comprehensiveness of Sibley. This is unfortunate. Kaufman has trimmed away the fat of the modern field guide and produced a surprisingly spare volume geared primarily for field identification.
The photographic rendering is unique. Its overall design is reminiscent of Peterson. It's simplicity and size belies its actual sophistication. Indeed, a book like this one complements, not replaces, its larger, illustrated cousins. Maybe only Golden's Birds of North America attempts this kind of coverage while also fitting comfortably in a jacket pocket.
There's no question the book was intended for beginners, but I can't help feel that this is the first of a new generation of field guides. It reasserts the field guide in its proper domain and skillfully leverages newer digital imaging technology. It's utility expresses a lucid understanding of what an observer in the field is trying to accomplish. There is a lot here that creators of other guides could learn from. |
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Good for beginners |
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Kaufman's Field Guide to Birds is a great tool for the beginner. The book is simple and straight-forward, with helpful colored 'tabs' for families, making it easier for the birder unfamilier with taxonomic order to find a species quicker. However, as one gains experience they will want to 'graduate' to Sibley's Guide to Birds since it is more thorough and contains more insight on fall and immature plumage differences, in-flight silhouettes as well as other details that the beginner might not appreciate but greatly aid in more advanced bird identification. |
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Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of N. America |
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This is a great book with easy to look up information plus numerous pictures of each bird. It's small size makes it easy to carry along with you. |
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Great as a second field guide |
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I love the Peterson field guide and thats the one I always bring out into the field. That being said, the Kaufman is a great guide I'll bring in addition to the Peterson. Sibley is great also but the large book is better as a home reference. The field Sibley is too think for my liking too. I hadn't found a photo field guide I liked until the Kaufman. All of the colors are accurate and I like how the birds are grouped together. My only complaint is that the arrows that point out differences between the sexes and important identifying marks aren't always the best. For example, the Kaufman guide only points out that Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers have white outer tail feathers. It doesn't point out that the male gnatcather has a black line above his eyes. And the photo doesn't really accentuate the line either. The Peterson guide clearly has this distinguishing mark and its pointed out on the photo. The description in the Kaufman guide does say that there is this black "eyebrow" line on the males but a beginning birder may easily miss this. I do like that with photos, the proportions of the birds won't be slightly distorted like they can be in illustrations. Overall this is a great guide but shouldn't be the only guide you bring into the field. Especially for beginners, an illustrated guide will have more identifying marks pointed out. |
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