Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America

Customer Reviews:

The definitive Peterson

By Grant McCreary "birderslibrary dot com" - August 18, 2008

This guide is a combination of the previously separate Eastern and Western Peterson guides. The look and feel of this guide will be immediately familiar to any users of past editions, especially the latest Eastern. However, every aspect of the book, even the art, has been enhanced and updated. Here is a brief summary of the changes.

The book's size is the first change that will be noticed. It is now probably too large to carry into the field. However, the increased size means that the plates are less crowded, and the art can be reproduced in a larger size. This allows the art to be better appreciated and studied.

Unless you are extremely familiar with Peterson's art, you won't notice many changes on the plates. But there have in fact been many. The most extensive changes have been in the form of digital enhancements to Peterson's art. These are touch-ups and corrections to make the bird on the page look more like the bird in the field. Thankfully, these... read more

The ultimate and presumably conclusive Peterson Bird Guide

By David P. Tietjen "Aficionado of bird books" - August 2, 2008

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... read more

Miles to go before I sleep

By Birdman - August 26, 2008

I have deep respect for the life and achievements of Roger Tory Peterson. His impact on ornithology, ecology, avian medicine, wildlife art and birdwatching have often been underestimated.

The latest edition of the guide melds East and West and does a great deal to upgrade coverage of Western species through enlarged maps and improved digital renderings.

My problem with the Peterson series has been occasionally inaccurate renderings of some common common species -- the Barred Owl is one example -- which might cause a novice to misidentify an individual in the field.

Many bird enthusiasts purchase and use a variety of field guides because each has its strengths and liabilities. Sibley is the strongest on artistic renderings. Peterson is the best for species differentiation. Smithsonian's excels because of its bird-call DVD. For anyone who wants an all-in-one, National Geographic's Fifth Edition is probably a best bet.

As for the podcast... read more