National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 7th Edition

by Jonathan Alderfer

Overview

This fully revised 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 organized to match the latest American Ornithological Society taxonomy.

With more than 2.75 million copies in print, this perennial bestseller is the most frequently updated of all North American bird field guides. Filled with hand-painted illustrations from top nature artists (including the ever-popular hummingbird), this latest edition is poised to become an instant must-have for every serious birder in the United States and Canada. 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. With taxonomy revised to reflect the radical new American Ornithological Society taxonomy established in 2016, the addition of standardized banding codes, and text completely vetted by birding experts, this new edition will top of the list of birding field guides for years to come.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781426218354
Publisher:	Disney Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/12/2017
Edition description:	7th ed.
Pages:	592
Sales rank:	23,333
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

JONATHAN ALDERFER, well known as one of the nation's foremost birding artists, birding tour guides, and birder, is a widely published author and illustrator specializing in the birds of North America.

JON L. DUNN is a leading expert on the identification and distribution of North American birds. He is a consultant for Birding magazine, and former chair of the American Birding Association's Checklist Committee.

Table of Contents

Introduction 6

Ducks, Geese, and Swans 14

New World Quail 54

Curassows and Guans 58

Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys, and Old World Quail 58

Grebes 68

Flamingos 70

Pigeons and Doves 72

Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis 80

Goatsuckers 84

Swifts 88

Hummingbirds 92

Limpkin 104

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots 106

Cranes 112

Stilts and Avocets 114

Oystercatchers 114

Lapwings and Plovers 116

Jacanas 122

Sandpipers 124

Skuas and Jaegers 162

Auks, Murres, and Puffins 166

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers 180

Tropicbirds 214

Loons 216

Albatrosses 220

Shearwaters and Petrels 224

Storm-Petrels 240

Storks 246

Frigatebirds 246

Boobies and Gannets 248

Cormorants 252

Darters 256

Pelicans 256

Herons, Bitterns, and Allies 258

Ibises and Spoonbills 265

New World Vultures 268

Osprey 270

Hawks, Kites, Eagles, and Allies 270

Barn Owls and Typical Owls 294

Trogons 302

Kingfishers 304

Woodpeckers and Allies 306

Caracaras and Falcons 320

Old World Parrots 326

African and New World Parrots 326

Tyrant Flycatchers 334

Becards, Tityras, and Allies 354

Shrikes 356

Vireos 358

Crows and Jays 364

Larks 374

Swallows 376

Chickadees and Titmice 382

Penduline Tits and Verdins 386

Long-tailed Tits and Bushtits 386

Nuthatches 388

Creepers 390

Wrens 390

Gnatcatchers and Gnatwrens 396

Dippers 398

Kinglets 398

Sylviid Warblers 398

Leaf Warblers 400

Grasshopper-Warblers 402

Old World Flycatchers and Chats 404

Thrushes 408

Mockingbirds and Thrashers 416

Bulbuls 422

Starlings 422

Waxwings 424

Silky-flycatchers 424

Olive Warbler 425

Accentors 426

Indigobirds and Whydahs 426

Weavers 426

Estrildid Finches 428

Old World Sparrows 428

Wagtails and Pipits 430

Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies 434

Longspurs and Snow Buntings 446

Wood-Warblers 452

Western Spindalis (Incertae sedis) 484

Tanagers 484

Emberizids 486

Cardinals and Allies 518

Blackbirds 530

Accidentals and Extinct Species 546

Subspecies Maps 564

Appendix: AOS (NACC) and ABA Checklist Differences; Greenland and Bermuda 576

Art Credits 576

Acknowledgments 580

Index 581

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"A stellar update of this standard-setting field guide."—Dr. Terry Chesser, chair of American Ornithological Society' committee on classification and nomenclature

"This is the guide for birders and field ornithologists."—Dr. J. V. Remsen, Jr., Museum of Natural History, Louisiana State University

"If you want to become a better birder, get this guide and use it often."—Ted Floyd, editor of Birding magazine

"National Geographic has packed so much—new species, new art, revised maps, subspecies details, updated taxonomy, and the latest ID tips—into this newest edition of their classic field guide."—Scott Weidensaul, author of A World on the Wing

Editorial Reviews

The new edition is comprehensive and authoritative, written clearly enough for a beginning birder to understand and yet highly detailed enough for those who are more experienced. Dunn’s expertise in bird taxonomy and Alderfer’s artistic skills are a boon to this latest update of the venerable Nat Geo, a most worthwhile addition to any birder’s library.” ABA blog
 
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 7th Edition rated number one on American Birding Association podcast, by book reviewer Donna Schulman.

"After testing nine bird guides by taking them out in the field, comparing their contents and usability, and interviewing experts about their pros and cons, we choose the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America as the best field guide for most people. Equal parts detailed and accessible, it will appeal to experts and novices alike...beautifully illustrated and impressively thorough, yet still compact enough for you to hold it comfortably in your hands or tuck it into a bag. Its comprehensiveness—including more than 1,000 species of birds—will appeal to more hardcore birders. But its special features, such as thumb tabs and a fold-out visual index, make it accessible for beginners, too." —Wirecutter 

“What’s not to love about a fully updated, thicker Nat Geo guide?” –BirdWatching

"Bins, camera, Nat Geo—the three essential elements for a mega-rarity twitch. No other field guide to North American birds does rarities so comprehensively and so well...The publication of National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 7th Edition is one of the top bird book events of 2017." —10,000birds.com

“This latest edition of an eminent classic is so good that soon enough it won’t be read at all: it will be quoted, referred to, even recited by birders, young and old, who have committed its wisdom to heart and put its information to use every day in the field.” –Birdaz.com

“If you want to become a better birder, get this guide and use it often. The text is thorough and accurate, the plates are a gratifying combination of painterly and precise, and the layout is a tour de force.”  —Ted Floyd, editor of Birding magazine
 
“National Geographic has packed so much—new species, new art, revised maps, subspecies details, updated taxonomy and the latest ID tips—into this newest edition of their classic field guide that I suspect it may simply explode.”  —Scott Weidensaul, author of Living on the Wind

“This book really has it all. It's thorough and concise. The book feels high-quality, and is beautifully illustrated and enormously informative. This one is a must-have for all birders, whether amateur or experienced!” –Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World
 
"This was book is incredibly well done. The images are clear and easy to identify, and they are well organized, making finding the right bird quick and easy. Below the images, there are text tips, these are especially helpful if you can’t quite identify off the picture. I was happy to see the pictures showing the birds in flight, which is how I see them most of the time." –BookExpression
 
“It is a very fine book and the most recent edition has some great improvements. It’s an excellent field guide to have in your collection. –Birdchick
 
“This volume is a really great reference to have on hand—both for any nature studies and just for watching outside of your windows.” –Just a Secular Homeschooler
 
“This @natgeoguide is so comprehensive and easy to use! The drawings are clear and detailed, making it easy to actually determine what bird you’re looking at. The birds are also categorized by type (sparrow, hawk, gull, etc) making it quick to navigate. I plan to be that nerd 🤓 carrying around a bird book on our next adventure. No shame here.” –Instagram: @wellreadmama
 
“I’ve found the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds increasingly impressive with each successive edition into which it has been published…Thus, for those seeking the present pinnacle of field guides for their North American (north of Mexico, at least) birding activities, a guide rich in ornithological details that will withstand regular field use, the new seventh edition of the North American Field Guide to the Birds of North America is quite likely the book to be sought.” –The Well-read Naturalist
 
“…a beautifully crafted tome filled with tons of information that will delight bird watchers everywhere.” –A Dream Within a Dream

"Updated, upgraded, and indispensible. The illustrations are better than in any other field guide; the fully revised text is detailed, accurate, and well organized; and the maps are unmatched. This is the guide for birders and field ornithologiests." —Dr. J. V. Remsen, Jr., Museum of Natural Sciences, Louisiana State University 

"A stellar update of this standard-setting field guide. The new edition offers innovative features for all skill and interest levels, from those seeking a basic ID to those who want their field guide to deliver the goods on behavior, taxonomy, and distribution."  —Dr. Terry Chesser, Chair, AOS Committee on Classification and Nomenclature (North and Middle America)
 
"New birds, new knowledge and new art work just made the most essential guide for North American birders even more essential....You only need to buy one field guide for North America, and the National Geographic is it." —Neil Hayward, author of Lost Among the Birds "[This edition] continues to improve on the already outstanding previous editions.  The addition of many new illustrations as well as updated text and range maps make this book the standard for North American field guides." —Mark W. Lockwood, author of The TOS Handbook of Texas Birds

From the Publisher