My brother has developed an interest in birding and has quite a few birds he is not able to identify; he lives near Rockford, Illinois. What is a good guide for him, being a new birder? I like my Crossley guide for Eastern birds here in NC, but I think he needs something to get him to an ID without getting frustrated too much. That is not to say that the Crossley is frustrating; the plates are beautiful and have helped me a lot. I have heard a lot about Sibley but I have never used one.
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#2
creeker
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creeker
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Posted 10 June 2011 - 11:45 PM
I have a Field Guide To Birds by Stokes (Western Region) that I think would be great for a beginner. Nice big photos, and it's not too bulky to carry into the field. I of course would go with the Eastern Region edition for your brother. I also have the Sibley Guide To Birds. The one with all North American birds. I think that one would be a bit daunting for any beginner. So many drawings of each bird's different plumages, you kind of have to know what you're looking for. It is too bulky to carry, I use it as a reference.
#3
Harrier
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Harrier
Posted 11 June 2011 - 08:50 AM
Peterson Guide to Eastern is a great beginner's guide. I started using before I became advanced and switched to National Geographic. Beginner guides such as Peterson and Stokes would probably be the best for him; When he gets more advanced, he could get Sibley and Nat Geo, but they are too complex for a beginner. Crossley is in between, but I think a more traditional guide would be better for a beginner.
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