A Guide to the Identification and Natural History of the Sparrows of the United States and Canada

Rating:
Summary: A readable, useable, technical guide.
Review: Sparrows. Yippee. But if you want to learn them, this is the book.

Lots of detail, as you'd expect, but very clearly presented. Terrific illustrations and range maps. And what I like, but some will hate, is the fairly detailed treatment of every field-identifiable subspecies. Some of these subspecies will become full species some day, if present trends continue, and you'll be way ahead of the game if you've already been working on telling them apart. Plus it's fun; just try to keep an open mind.

Rating:
Summary: Indispensible for the serious birder
Review: This book is one of my favorite birding books. I am reticent to call it a field guide because it is so much more than that. Incredible amounts of information on all the sparrows. Great range maps AND descriptions of migration and vagrancy (can I hope to see this bird in my area?), and all the other natural history and behavior information you'd expect. Beautiful plates showing ALL the different plumages, primary and basic, male, female and juvenal. And it's not just a wealth of information, it's a beautiful book, well written and a delight to own.