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Rating: 
Summary: Not for birders!
Review: I bought this book in Hawaii because it was the only bird book I could find. It at least showed me some of the birds I would see, but the organization (if there is any--can't tell) is horrible. Next time I would go online ahead of time and buy an actual field guide to birds. It is a nightmare to find a bird in this book, and it doesn't give any information about them, such as their size, or male/female differences; also, it lists some birds more than once--weird. This book should be named differently...perhaps, "A glimpse into the history of birds in Hawaii." Overall, it did help me identify the birds I saw, so was better than nothing, but I would definitely not choose it again.
Rating: 
Summary: Very good pictures,easy to read,informative,value for money!
Review: I need the scientific names, that unfortunately were not listed in the book. The development in the bird changes is also so quick, ( I did not see Frigate Birds over Waikiki. Also the colony of Laysan Albatrosses on Kaohikaipu Island deed not seem to be mentioned, even there was a picture of the island in the book. Maybe the colony is new???) that some changes should be maid, or foreseen in the possible next edition. I also saw a bird that was not listed in the book. I wonder if that could have been an apanane female. But the book does not indicate whether male and female are alike or not. The bird I saw was very alike the apanane in shape an bill. Bill a little shorter grey top of head and green on side. What bird could that have been? Seen in Hosmer Grove. The bird list in the back should be a clean bird list, which ought to be complete. (Ex. Mallard is not in the list. Geografic names should be kept in another list. If you read this yourself, mr. Pratt, could you please forward the scientific - english list to my e-mail adress - see above. That would be appreciated very much.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent for the casual observer
Review: This book is intended for the casual observer of birds, not the dedicated birder. (Serious bird-watchers should use Pratt's Field Guide to the Birds of Hawai'i and the Tropical Pacific together with his Enjoying Birds in Hawai'i or Rick Soehren's Birdwatcher's Guide to Hawai'i.) But within its limits, this is a fascinating and readable book. Pratt discusses the native birds, especially the endemic passerines, and illustrates the evolutionary processes which produced their astonishing variety. Then he describes the introduced birds, including their effect on the native avifauna when that is significant. The result is a clear though brief analysis of Hawai'i's avian world. Pratt is a fine photographer and bird illustrator, and Jack Jeffrey is a true master of avian photography. The result of their collaboration is one of the best-illustrated books on birds I know. Pratt's writing style is direct and clear. His straightforward narration of the destruction of a large part of the native Hawai'ian avifauna is heartbreaking in its simplicity. This is an excellent introduction to Hawai'i's birds.
Rating: 
Summary: A beginners ID guide.
Review: This guide is an introduction to the beautiful birds that inhabit America's only tropical state.
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