About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

While undeniably superior as an identification reference, The Sibley Guide to Birds is perhaps too unwieldy for dedicated field use. Nevertheless, experienced birders in particular will appreciate the multiple detailed illustrations and careful attention to field marks and identification clues for multiple morphs and subspecies of birds that make this field guide a must-have for any dedicated birder's library.



Pros

• Multiple postures and plumages shown for thorough visual overviews.
• Sturdy binding holds even under hard, frequent use.
• Labeled pointers highlight most relevant field marks on illustrations.

Cons

• Unwieldy size and weight for easy field use.
• Lacks checklist of bird species for listing.
• Limited text lacks details on bird behavior or habitats.

Description

• Title: The Sibley Guide to Birds
• Author: David Allen Sibley
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
• Publication Date: October 3, 2000
• Format: Paperback
• Bird Artwork: Illustrations
• Dimensions: 9.5" (24.1 cm) tall, 6.5" (16.5 cm) wide, 1.3" (3.3 cm) thick
• Page Count: 544
• ISBN: 0-679-45122-6
• Price: $35.00

Guide Review - The Sibley Guide to Birds

The Sibley Guide to Birds is a large field guide, but every inch of space is packed with information. Book legends and a basic map are printed inside the book's covers, and the 14-page introduction includes information on bird identification, plumage variations, hybrids and bird songs and calls. Most useful may be the extensive bird topography illustrations that cover different bird families and give details for noting field marks not only on a bird's body, but also with more detailed illustrations of the head and wings.

Both a detailed bird name index with scientific and common names and a quick index of the most common birds are included.

This field guide covers 810 species with a total of more than 6,600 watercolor illustrations. Even the smallest accounts of birds include multiple illustrations, and each bird has between one-half and a full page of information and illustrations, and in rare cases, such as the wide variety of morphs for the red-tailed hawk, multiple pages are used. Similar birds are shown in similar postures for easy comparison, and different variations are included, such as geographic subspecies, dimorphic plumages and both juvenile and subadult details. Both upper and lower flight illustrations are included, as well as head-on flight silhouettes when a bird's wing position can be useful for identification.

Introductory pages are available for each bird family but lack page numbers for fast reference from that introduction. For tricky bird species, extra pages of identification details – such as hummingbird display flight patterns, swan bills or scaup head shapes – are also included.

This field guide is most definitely visually-based; the accompanying text is strictly limited and fails to cover habitat or behavior clues that might be useful, especially for beginning birders, though small range maps are listed on every species page. What text is available tends to focus primarily on bird sounds or key visual differences for proper identification.

The book's sturdy cover is moisture-resistant and resists damage even when frequently used in the field. It is also able to lay flat without breaking or tearing, which is useful when comparing similar species on opposite pages.

Because The Sibley Guide to Birds lacks more text details for bird identification it is not the best choice for beginning birders to use in the field, but it is an exceptional reference book for birders of all skill levels. Advanced birders who are keen to distinguish subtle subspecies may also prefer to have this guide on hand in the field when its extensive illustrations will be most helpful for detailed examination, and this book is a worthy addition to any birder's library.



Disclosure: A review copy was purchased by the Guide. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.