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The Sibley Guide to Birds: Second Edition

by David Allen Sibley

It’s different. Now, if you were to hand both the first and second editions of The Sibley Guide to a non-birder, they will probably not notice many differences. Likely just “cosmetic changes”. But to a birder who has spent years looking between the covers of the now-fourteen-year-old first edition, especially those, like myself, who have “grown up” with it as their primary field guide for their entire birding lives, the new edition might not be a completely new experience but the changes can be drastic. For this initial review, I’ll highlight many of these differences, as well as two issues.

Changes from the first edition

New species

This new edition includes 113 new species, for a total of 923. A few of these are the result of taxonomic changes (i.e. Pacific Wren and the Sage Sparrow split), but most are rare birds/vagrants. These vagrants are mostly Old World or Mexican species. Groups that have particularly benefited are shorebirds (the eight “rare” ones only textually listed the first time around are each illustrated now) and the seabirds, with 15 additional tubenoses (11 albatrosses/petrels/shearwaters and 4 storm-petrels), making this new Sibley much more useful for pelagic trips. There has also been quite a change in the exotic birds covered, with many new ones added and a few removed.

New and updated illustrations

I’ve had a lot of fun going through the two editions trying to find new and updated illustrations. There are quite a few. Some of the new ones include more juveniles (and some downy young, especially ducks), alcids flying away, additional hybrid ducks, and Himalyan Snowcock in flight (very useful for those trying to find this species). An example of an updated painting is the male Bufflehead now has a dot of orange added with a new annotation “orange-pink legs”. You don’t see Bufflehead legs very often, but this is an unobtrusive way to note an additional field mark.

There are also some illustrations from the first that did not make it into the second edition, such as Scarlet Tanager and House Finch color variants and the White-eyed Vireo worn juvenile. However, for the most part, those removed were either of variations that are very rarely seen or ones that I’m not sure why they were included in the first place because they looked pretty much the same as another illustration.

Bigger illustrations

The cover flap boasts “all illustrations reproduced 15 to 20 percent larger for better detail”. That’s mostly true. Most illustrations are, indeed, noticeably larger and do show greater detail than before. This is a very welcome change, making the guide both more attractive and more useful. However, there are some that are no bigger, or even slightly smaller.

The Kittlitz's and Marbled Murrelet plate from the first (left) and second (right) editions. Notice the new and larger illustrations in the second edition (and that the juveniles are no longer included), as well as the additional text and changes to the range maps.

More text

It was widely commented upon how the first Sibley guide was textually sparse. But Rob Fergus points out that this is an illusion; it actually averages more words per species account than almost every other field guide. The second edition has even more. A block of text has been added next to each range map that gives information on population and habitats, as well as additional details on behavior, variation, and other things as appropriate. Essentially, this section is based on the text accounts from the Sibley regional guides. I always liked that part of the regional guides (as a new birder, I especially appreciated seeing whether the bird was common, uncommon, etc.), and am very happy it is now incorporated into the “big” Sibley. The identification-related text at the top of the account has also been expanded.

One feature I really like in the Sibley guide is the sidebars. This new edition includes some new ones, like Molt in Seabirds, Old World and New World Names, and Owling. A few of the older ones haven’t been carried over, such as Raptor Hunting Techniques. These sidebars continue to present a great amount of useful and relevant information.

Range maps

The range maps have, of course, been updated to reflect the latest knowledge of distribution. Also, instead of using dots to denote specific locations of rare occurrence, a more general region is shaded to denote where the bird rarely turns up. This change was actually introduced in the regional guides published after the first big one, but is done to an even greater extent here. Another welcome change is that instead of each map showing the entire continent, if a bird has a more limited range the map is “zoomed in” so that you can see that range more clearly.

Extinct species

The introduction of the first edition had a list of bird species and subspecies that have gone extinct and the date they were last recorded in the wild. Now an illustration has been added for each. This may seem like a small change, but a visual reminder of what we’ve lost is important.

Checklist

A checklist of all the species in the guide has been added to the back.

Size

Even with more illustrations and text, the trim size is no bigger than the first edition. There are 79 more pages this time around, but the increase in thickness and weight aren’t very appreciable.

Issues

Much has been made of how dark the artwork is in this new edition (see Brooke McDonald’s review). The difference from the first edition is truly striking. The good news is that in some cases this has greatly enhanced the artwork. But in others, like the Prothonotary Warbler, it detracts. It may just take some getting used to; already, the first edition is starting to look a little washed out to me. And it’s not as if every illustration across the board is a few shades darker. Some, like the nonbreeding Herring Gull, are actually lighter.

But, I’m sad to say, there are some true issues with the colors. Reds seem particularly affected. The Scarlet Tanager is way too dark; as are the bills of the adult breeding Laughing Gull and Royal Tern (it has a darker red bill than that of the Caspian Tern in the first edition!). But there’s also the opposite issue – the 2nd winter Heermann’s Gull is annotated with “red bill”, but its bill is unquestionably not red. Oddly, though, not all red looks off. The crown-patch of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet is fine, as is the Red-faced Warbler.

This isn't the best picture, but you can clearly see the difference in the Scarlet Tanagers. The first edition (left) was definitely brilliant red. The second edition (right), not so much.

I had a strong reaction to two other illustrations. The adult breeding Chipping Sparrow’s crown is too brown, and not that wonderful shade of rufous that I’ve loved since I was a little kid. And the Worm-eating Warbler’s head is too greenish, to the point that beginning birders could get confused. Both of these looked perfect to me in the previous edition.

The second issue is readability. The text is pretty small and relatively light on the page. The small font size is understandable given the increase in amount of text and both number and size of illustrations. But some sections of text are printed in not-quite-black, which has made it a little difficult for me to read in some lighting conditions. Those who have trouble reading small print should be aware.

As for other errors, I’ve only noticed one worth pointing out – the illustrations for Magnolia Warbler adult female breeding and adult male nonbreeding are swapped.

The Sibley Guide was already, in my opinion, the best field guide for North America. The second edition’s changes and additions have made it even better. I really want to give it a wholehearted recommendation, and would without the color reproduction issues. I started birding a few years after the first Sibley guide was published, but I understand its first printing also had some color issues that were corrected in subsequent printings. I hope that will be the case this time around as well. By all means, go ahead and get The Sibley Guide: Second Edition if you can’t wait. But otherwise, you may want to hold off for just a little bit in case it does get fixed.

Update: A second printing is now available that has fixed the color reproduction of the art and darkened the text to make it more readable. Here are more details.

Wow, lots of shiny reviews this month.

Searching for Pekpek: Cassowaries and Conservation in the New Guinea Rainforest
by Andrew L. Mack

From Cassowary Conservation and Publishing:

Andrew Mack immersed himself in a vast expanse of roadless, old growth rainforest of Papua New Guinea in 1987.

He and his co-investigator Debra Wright, built a research station by hand and lived there for years. Their mission was to study the secretive and perhaps most dinosaur-like creature still roaming the planet: the cassowary.

The ensuing adventures of this unorthodox biologist–studying seeds found in cassowary droppings (pekpek), learning to live among the indigenous Pawai’ia, traversing jungles, fighting pests and loneliness, struggling against unscrupulous oil speculators, and more–are woven into a compelling tale that spans two decades. Mack shares the insights he garnered about rainforest ecology while studying something as seemingly mundane as cassowary pekpek. He ultimately gained profound insight into why conservation is failing in places like Papua New Guinea and struggled to create a more viable strategy for conserving some of Earth’s last wild rainforests.

This promises to be an interesting book, even without the giant, dinosaur-like birds that can – and do – kill people. (Yes, I think Cassowaries are cool!)

Searching for Pekpek: Cassowaries and Conservation in the New Guinea Rainforest
by Andrew L. Mack
Paperback; 253 pages
Cassowary Conservation and Publishing; March 11, 2014
ISBN: 978-0989390309
$19.95

Ten Thousand Birds: Ornithology since Darwin
by Tim Birkhead, Jo Wimpenny, and Bob Montgomerie

From Princeton University Press:

Ten Thousand Birds provides a thoroughly engaging and authoritative history of modern ornithology, tracing how the study of birds has been shaped by a succession of visionary and often-controversial personalities, and by the unique social and scientific contexts in which these extraordinary individuals worked. This beautifully illustrated book opens in the middle of the nineteenth century when ornithology was a museum-based discipline focused almost exclusively on the anatomy, taxonomy, and classification of dead birds. It describes how in the early 1900s pioneering individuals such as Erwin Stresemann, Ernst Mayr, and Julian Huxley recognized the importance of studying live birds in the field, and how this shift thrust ornithology into the mainstream of the biological sciences. The book tells the stories of eccentrics like Colonel Richard Meinertzhagen, a pathological liar who stole specimens from museums and quite likely murdered his wife, and describes the breathtaking insights and discoveries of ambitious and influential figures such as David Lack, Niko Tinbergen, Robert MacArthur, and others who through their studies of birds transformed entire fields of biology.

Ten Thousand Birds brings this history vividly to life through the work and achievements of those who advanced the field. Drawing on a wealth of archival material and in-depth interviews, this fascinating book reveals how research on birds has contributed more to our understanding of animal biology than the study of just about any other group of organisms.

I haven’t been able to start reading this book yet, but am really looking forward to it.

Ten Thousand Birds: Ornithology since Darwin
by Tim Birkhead, Jo Wimpenny, and Bob Montgomerie
Hardcover; 544 pages
Princeton University Press; February 16, 2014
ISBN: 978-0691151977
$45.00

Buy from Buteo Books
(based in the U.S.)

Buy from NHBS
(based in the U.K.)

Rare Birds of North America
by Steve N. G. Howell, Ian Lewington, and Will Russell

From Princeton University Press:

Rare Birds of North America is the first comprehensive illustrated guide to the vagrant birds that occur throughout the United States and Canada. Featuring 275 stunning color plates, this book covers 262 species originating from three very different regions–the Old World, the New World tropics, and the world’s oceans. It explains the causes of avian vagrancy and breaks down patterns of occurrence by region and season, enabling readers to see where, when, and why each species occurs in North America. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, taxonomy, age, sex, distribution, and status.

Rare Birds of North America provides unparalleled insights into vagrancy and avian migration, and will enrich the birding experience of anyone interested in finding and observing rare birds.

• Covers 262 species of vagrant birds found in the United States and Canada
• Features 275 stunning color plates that depict every species
• Explains patterns of occurrence by region and season
• Provides an invaluable overview of vagrancy patterns and migration
• Includes detailed species accounts and cutting-edge identification tips

The press copy is right – the plates are, indeed, stunning. How useful this will be to the average birder I’m not sure yet, but I have to say that I’m looking forward to perusing the accounts and learning about all these fantastic vagrants (many of which I’ve only read about on rare bird reports).

Rare Birds of North America
by Steve N. G. Howell, Ian Lewington, and Will Russell
Hardcover; 448 pages
Princeton University Press; February 16, 2014
ISBN: 978-0691117966
$35.00

Buy from Buteo Books
(based in the U.S.)

Buy from NHBS
(based in the U.K.)

Lost Animals: Extinction and the Photographic Record
by Errol Fuller

From Princeton University Press:

A photograph of an extinct animal evokes a greater feeling of loss than any painting ever could. Often black and white or tinted sepia, these remarkable images have been taken mainly in zoos or wildlife parks, and in some cases depict the last known individual of the species. Lost Animals is a unique photographic record of extinction, presented by a world authority on vanished animals. Richly illustrated throughout, this handsome book features photographs dating from around 1870 to as recently as 2004, the year that witnessed the demise of the Hawaiian Po’ouli. From a mother Thylacine and her pups to birds such as the Heath Hen and the Carolina Parakeet, Errol Fuller tells the story of each animal, explains why it became extinct, and discusses the circumstances surrounding the photography.

Covering 28 extinct species, Lost Animals includes familiar examples like the last Passenger Pigeon, Martha, and one of the last Ivory-billed Woodpeckers, photographed as it peers quizzically at the hat of one of the biologists who has just ringed it. But the book includes rare images as well, many never before published. Collected together here for the first time, these photographs provide a tangible link to animals that have now vanished forever, in a book that brings the past to life while delivering a warning for the future.

Poignant and compelling, Lost Animals also includes a concise introduction that looks at the earliest days of animal photography, and an appendix of drawings and paintings of the species covered.

“A photograph of an extinct animal evokes a greater feeling of loss than any painting ever could.” So true. The photographs in this book aren’t glamorous, but they are incredibly moving. There have been plenty of books written on extinct animals, but this one takes a unique approach.

Lost Animals: Extinction and the Photographic Record
by Errol Fuller
Hardcover; 256 pages
Princeton University Press; February 2, 2014
ISBN: 978-0691161372
$29.95

2013 was a great year for bird books, but based on the titles already announced 2014 may end up being even better! Here are some to be looking forward to.

• Rare Birds of North America
  by Steve N. G. Howell, Ian Lewington, and Will Russell
  February 16, 2014; Princeton University Press

  This is the first comprehensive treatment of vagrant birds to North America. And what birder doesn’t love vagrants? You can get a look inside on Amazon.

• Ten Thousand Birds: Ornithology since Darwin
  by Tim Birkhead, Jo Wimpenny, and Bob Montgomerie
  February 16, 2014; Princeton University Press

  I loved Birkhead’s The Wisdom of Birds, which also dealt with the history of ornithology. If his previous books are any indication, this one should be a great read.

• The Sibley Guide to the Birds of North America, Second Edition
  by David Allen Sibley
  March 11, 2014; Alfred A. Knopf

  This is the one that we are ALL looking forward to. The first edition was a game-changer, and I can’t wait to see this one.

• The Thing with Feathers: The Surprising Lives of Birds and What They Reveal About Being Human
  by Noah Strycker
  March 20, 2014; Riverhead

  According to the publisher, this is “An entertaining and profound look at the lives of birds, illuminating their surprising world—and deep connection with humanity.” Sounds like a book for me, especially since it’s written by Noah Strycker, who’s writing I’ve enjoyed in various birding magazines and his first book, Among Penguins: A Bird Man in Antarctica.

• Hummingbirds: A Life-Size Guide to Every Species
  by Michael Fogden, Marianne Taylor, and Sheri L. Williamson
  April 1, 2014; Harper Design

  A book that illustrates every hummingbird species with life-sized photographs? What a fantastic idea! If you ever have the urge to drool uncontrollably, check out the extensive preview on Amazon.

• American Birding Association State Field Guides: Colorado and New Jersey
  April 1 and May 1, 2014 (respectively); Scott & Nix, Inc.

  I’m not a fan of most state field guides, but I have faith that the ABA and guide authors Ted Floyd (CO) and Rick Wright (NJ) will do these right.

Here are the bird book reviews from elsewhere last month. But first, here’s a great list of the best bird books of 2013.