The fully revised and updated seventh edition of the best-selling North American bird field guide is the most up-to-date guide on the market. Perfect for beginning to advanced birders, it is the only book organised to match the latest American Ornithologists’ Union taxonomy.
With more than 2.75 million copies in print, this is the most frequently updated of all North American bird field guides. Filled with hand-painted illustrations from top nature artists, the 7th edition includes 37 new species for a total of 1,023 species; 16 new pages allow for 250 fresh illustrations, 80 new maps, and 350 map revisions. Other updates include updates of the taxonomy to recent significant scientific rearrangement, the addition of standardised banding codes, and a text completely vetted by birding experts.
Reviews of the the sixth edition:
"[...] National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Sixth Edition is a great guide. In my review of the fifth edition I qualified my recommendation, especially for owners of a prior edition. Not so with the sixth – it belongs in every birder’s library! From beginner to expert, it will be useful to any birder. And for those interested in geographic variation, it is a must."
– Grant McCreary (29-12-2011), read the full review at The Birder's Library
"Wow! [...] a 10% increase in illustrations, plates now sprinkled with text to point out key features, updated range maps, comprehensive subspecies maps, and other useful new features. This classic guide just keeps evolving and improving. This is "the" guide you want with your field gear."
– J. V. Remsen, Distinguished Professor and Curator of Birds, Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University
"Jon Dunn's masterful field knowledge of North America's birds and Jonathan Alderfer's unparalleled artistic ability and direction shine throughout this up-to-date overhaul of a classic guide. Birders at all levels of experience benefit from a guide that is both comprehensive and accurate, and National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America is exactly what they need."
– Kimball L. Garrett, Ornithology Collections Manager, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
Reviews of the fifth edition:
"[...] Field guide preference is very personal and subjective if you have several quality guides to choose from. Personally this new edition is not going to take the place of Sibley as my primary field guide. This guide includes more species, but the Sibley has more illustrations of each included species, and arrows pointing out the major field marks. But one can never have too many field guides! I would highly recommend this fifth edition to any North American birder who does not own a previous edition, or who uses a previous edition as their primary guide. On the other hand, if you have a previous edition that is used as a backup/secondary guide then the decision to upgrade is more difficult. For those birders I would recommend getting the National Geographic Complete Birds of North America instead, as that would be more useful than an updated field guide."
– Grant McCreary (01-02-2007), read the full review at The Birder's Library