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| National Geographic Birding Essentials (National Geographic) | 
| Authors: Jonathan Alderfer, Jon L. Dunn
Publisher: National Geographic
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
Buy New: $2.25
You Save: $13.70 (86%)
New (40) from $2.25
Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 77011
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 9 x 5.9 x 0.6
ISBN: 1426201354
Dewey Decimal Number: 598.07234
EAN: 9781426201356
ASIN: 1426201354
Publication Date: October 30, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 6-7 of 7 | | « PREV | | |
 A pretty good introduction to "birding essentials"... November 12, 2007
27 out of 29 found this review helpful
National Geographic's Birding Essentials has a lot of great information. However, it is a bit hit and miss (mostly hit), and I'll try to explain why.
First, the "birding essentials" part is debatable. External bird anatomy is a good example here. Knowing which feather is "P3" on a variety of species cannot be put in the "essential" category. There is detail here that appears more appropriate for an ornithology book. Granted, this detail is presented very nicely: great illustrations and explanations. But essential?
Most birders in this country do not use the National Geographic Birding Field Guide. They use one of the other well-know guides: Sibley, Peterson, Audubon, or the Golden Guide. Yet, in this primer, other than noting that other guides exist, nothing was mentioned. At the very least, it would have been appropriate to have a table detailing characteristics of these various popular guides. They aren't even mentioned by name.
The section on binoculars was puzzling. I read Birding Essentials as a book more for beginners, and less for experienced birders (although I admit to learning a few things). Yet the authors really seemed to be promoting binoculars in the $1000 range. Why didn't they just use gold leaf on the cover? It is the rare beginning birder that shells out $1000 for a pair of binoculars. In fact, none of mine even approach the $200 point. Yet I've had great satisfaction watching the behavior of birds. One of the wonders of birding is that you don't need a SUV, particular clothes, a $1000 pair of binocs, and lessons. Birding truly is open to all.
With all this said, in general, I liked this book, and thought it a well-priced volume to give as a gift to my birding friends. It is inexpensive and well-done (you'll save some money for those binoculars). It summarizes a LOT of information, it maintains the tradition of National Geographic"s amazing photographs, and, if you don't have an ornithology text laying around, it has detail as well. It is not overly large. You won't carry it around all day, but you'll throw it in the car. I can see a trip leader carrying a copy around to help with explanations.
Enjoy your time outside.
 It is like NightWatch to stargazers November 7, 2007
13 out of 14 found this review helpful
It is a wonderful intro to birding as a hobby. Tips to buy binoculars and use a guidebook, bird topography, identification, molt, fieldcraft, migration, nomenclature, further reading, everything a beginning birder is eager to know is included. Throughout the book, gorgeous, well-selected pictures(with pointers and extensive captions, often showing similar-looking birds side by side) are used to illustrate and expand the text, which is a major attraction. Also I particularly like the way Alderfer starts a topic with an overview of the basic then moves on to the more complex or challenging.
A great buy though I have Sibley's Birding Basics.
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