Published 2003 by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Info and sales at your local independent bookstore or Amazon.com
Originally published in 2003
What species are in the Eastern and Western bird guides?
Changes to official bird names since 2000
The Sibley Field Guides to Birds East and West were both published in April 2003. They use the same artwork from the original Sibley Guide to Birds. These employ a different design, with each page divided into top and bottom halves, and the species info fit into that space. No changes were made to the artwork, but fewer illustrations are used in these smaller books. The text was largely rewritten. The largest differences being that the voice descriptions are simplified, and a sentence or two was added to each species describing the general status and habitat. Finally, the maps were completely revised for these books, using a team of over 100 experts from around the continent, compiled by Paul Lehman.
Nebraska, do I buy Eastern or Western bird book?
Hello. I suppose this would be more of a suggestion than a comment. I would be very pleased to see your products released on the Android platform. I have always enjoyed your guides but rarely have one with me when I am out and about. My cel phone however is usually with me. I would definitely appreciate having the info readily at hand. Thanks again for a great
Which book do I use for the Texas coast and inland
Hi Chris,
You want the Eastern Guide. It covers all of Texas except the Trans-Pecos region (far west Texas including Big Bend). There’s a handy map in this post showing the region covered by each guide.
Hi David,
it’s again me with a question on your book. You convinced me to buy the Western Guide. When I proceeded to do so, I found a new problem. If possible at all, I really prefer to have field guides bound in softcover, which makes them much more convenient to carry them in a cargo pant or so. On various webshops I just found the book indicated to be a softcover edition, if it was used and simultaneously really expensive. The new and cheaper ones were called “turtleback”, or “special binding”. A look at google to check what a turtleback bound book is delivered the following:
“A library binding of a mass market paperback with a generic hardcover” (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/turtleback)
Actually I worked in a library for two years, but I must admit that I do not really understand this. Making a long story short: Is your “turtleback” edition at least somehow flexible and just more durable than a normal paperback, or is it as stiff as a regular hardcover.
Looking forward hearing from you,
cheers,
Markus
Hi Markus,
All of these books are bound with a flexible but heavy and coated paper cover that extends just a bit farther than the edge of the pages. The publisher calls it “flexi-bound”, but sellers don’t seem to understand that term and often list it as “hardcover”, apparently just because it’s not a standard “paperback”. I’m sure there are some used “turtleback” copies for sale that have been rebound by the previous owners, but any new copy you buy will be flexible and relatively easy to carry in a large pocket.
Perfect! Thanks a lot!
David,
For years I’ve dreamed of a technology resource which could record birdsong and, in the same way that computers now recognize human speech, identify the species of bird doing the singing. Singing birds hidden away in brush or in dense trees could be identified in this way. Bringing the field guide to technological platforms means that this dream could be only a small step from fulfillment.
Heard there is to be reprint of The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America in 2011. When will it be released?
Many thanks