Rating: 
Summary: Deficient detail and wasted page space
Review: Although Sibley's guide in very useful and informative, the artistry leaves much to be desired. While Sibley is a very gifted artist, very accurate portrayals of birds are required in field guides for the easy refernce in the field. Sibley's use of different positions and flight leave some identifiable characterists hidden to the reader. Also, the Sibly guide contains a lot of wasted page space. About half of the guide is white page. This space could have been used to depict birds in different plumage or enlarged pictures of the birds for better identification. It seems that Sibly shrinks his paintings down so small as to hide his lack of detail. At the least this guide could have been made smaller, to make a less cumbersome field guide. This guide makes a better book of art than a helpful field guide.
Rating: 
Summary: Fly like an Eagle --->
Review: The love of man for nature is manifested amply in this book. It is an exquisite labour of love. Page after page reaches out to you and envelopes you in the warmth and freedom of our feathered friends. Each illustration is a work of magic .The eye for detail here is amazing and the research is through. A classic forever.
Rating:
Summary: Fly like an Eagle --->
Review: The love of man for nature is manifested amply in this book. It a an exquisite labour of love. Page after page reaches out to you and envelopes you in the warmth and freedom of our feathered friends. Each illustration is a work of magic .The eye for detail here is amazing and the research is through. A classic forever.
Rating:
Summary: SOARS LIKE A FALCON
Review: This is without a doubt the best book for ornithologists and lay persons interested in birds. The illustrations are nonpareil and the accompanying text is a treasure trove of information. This book is the definitive books about birds to date. It is outstanding. Sibley speaks to his readers' collective intelligence; his work provides comprehensive material in a very interesting format. He is a master communicator; his readers will readily absorb the information he wishes to impart in this work and will certainly appreciate the illustrations. Sibley has indeed set new standards, soared across new frontiers in this presentation. This is a book that will not only be studied and remembered, but cherished and treasured.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing achievement for birders to treasure
Review: I own many, many books on birds and this by far is the most comprehensive and useful. Each bird is shown in several poses, with the map right on the same page, and information on the size, song, movement, and other details. The birds of a type are also shown side by side, making it easy to glance through a group of pictures to determine which one you have seen. Birds are shown in flight with wings both up and down, helping identify flying birds. On the downside, this book is fairly large and not a pocket-portable variety. This is a great book to have on the table for reference, and to look through by the fire, but wouldn't be one you carry out with you hiking. The maps are also a bit on the small side, but they do give you a general impression of where the birds are found. A great book for a birder who already has a small pocket-guide, but wants something more substantial for the tricker identifications. Also great for casual reading!
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully illustrated and comprehensive
Review: I am not a hobbyist but, for my own general information, I keep field guides on rocks & minerals, astronomy and birds. I have always liked the Peterson nature guides but this guide illustrated by David Sibley is monumental. There are several illustrations of many of the birds, fom different positions as well as extremely useful accompanying text. It is so complete and comprehensive that it is too bulky to be conveniently carried along as a field guide but, this drawback is also it's greatest strength. The comprehensiveness makes this guide a great study aid which can occupy many fascinating and worthwhile hours. Nature lovers, in general, and bird enthusiasts, in particular, will absolutely love this wonderful field guide.
Rating:
Summary: Everything You Need in One Place
Review: This field guide is filled with useful information and wonderful illustrations, and is done so in a way that many previous guides failed to do. For example, all the information is put in one place, so none of that maddening flipping back and forth to compare maps to birds and flight patterns, etc. The amount of detail is quite impressive! Now you'll have all the information necessary to identify even the most difficult species. Even the names are completely up to date. A great gift for the birdwatcher in your world.
Rating:
Summary: More than a handful!
Review: First, let me make it clear I really like this book. But I'd tend to consider it more of a reference work than a true Field Guide. It's big. No, it's BIG. You wouldn't want to lug it around for long. Yet it is so comprehensive, with so many detailed paintings, you wouldn't want it too far from reach either. Perhaps keeping a copy in the car -and another on your desk- is the best solution. It's not perfect, but nothing ever is. The range maps are among the worst of any Field Guide I've seen; their small size makes them only marginally helpful. Some of the colors seem overly bright and artificial; that might, however, just be the case in a given batch. For a beginner, the extent of information and multitude of examples might be daunting if not overwhelming. But even a beginner will find it useful and as you improve your skills, you'll value this book even more. I would expect it to become the standard against which all future North American Field Guides will be measured. Get it!
Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive and definitive...
Review: If you're looking for a book that can be your primary guide for long time, this is it. Neophytes and experts alike will benefit from its excess of information and excellent illustration. Personally, I had little trouble navigating through this rather sizeable book. Everything from illustrations to maps are clearly laid out in an orderly manner. It is very important to be able to quickly find the information you need at critical moments when birding. I also had few problems toting this book around. Any avid birder would be in good enough shape that a few extra pounds of baggage won't kill him.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful, practical guide!!
Review: After spending a weekend in the field with the new Sibley's, I can attest to the value of this book. Initially I was impressed by the many illustrations and detail that obviously go into every species description. Sibley spends needed time and space on difficult-to-identify species instead of just a couple of head profiles. On a weekend when I saw both Harlan's and Krider's Red-tailed Hawks (as well as the usual birds), this was quite welcome. The only item that could be a possible drawback with this book is that I don't feel enough attention was given to identifying habitat for many birds. When one is trying to Empidonax flycatchers, habitat is vital when making identification. While habitat is mentioned, I just don't think that it is given the importance it should have. That said, this book is a winner!! I wouldn't hesitate to purchase this book (or give it as a gift). It may replace your field guide of choice, but even if it doesn't it is an excellent supplement. As an aside - with all the splitting going on, this is the first book I've seen (I haven't looked at Kaufman's) that places Vireos with the Jays they have now been classified with. Also, all the most recent name changes have been included. Quite a benefit!
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