For me, an ideal field guide provides quality color drawings or photos, descriptions of defining characteristics, comparisons between similar species, range maps, and is easily portable. National Geographic has produced a book that exhibits all these qualities in Field Guide to Birds of North America.

The book includes all birds ever seen in North America, organized by bird family. Each two-page spread fully describes a number of bird species verbally and visually. For example, the left page includes text descriptions of the bird's common name, Latin name, height, wingspan, plumage pattern and identifying characteristics (pointing out important or distinguishing features of various plumages), phonetic spelling of bird calls (osprey: "a series of loud, whistled kyews"), range (with map showing summer and winter range), habitat, and identifying behaviors.

The right page of the spread includes perhaps the most outstanding feature of the guide: the color illustrations. Each species is drawn in all plumage forms that might be encountered, and, in some cases, a variety of behaviors. For example, the Snowy Egret is drawn in the following plumages and behaviors: breeding adult, wading; high breeding adult, perched; immature, perched; and breeding adult, flying. These images clearly distinguish between the various plumages. Side-by-side drawings on the same page also distinguish between the similar Cattle Egret (nonbreeding adult plumage) and immature Little Blue Heron.

Also extremely useful are two-page panels of birds in flight. For example, four pages are dedicated to the under-wing patterns of 33 female hawks, as they would appear if they were soaring above you. Multi-page spreads are also dedicated to ducks in flight and shorebirds in flight, among others.

The book begins with an introduction explaining bird taxonomy and, more useful, how to identify birds using the guide. This segment includes details to which birders should pay particular attention, like head and wing plumage, tail shape, species- or season-specific plumages, size, and behavior. The authors are careful to point out important characteristics that distinguish one bird from another, providing very useful real-life examples of bird identification problems and their solutions.

Field Guide to Birds of North America would make a wonderful companion on every kayaking trip. National Geographic has created a usable guide highlighting the important characteristics needed for conclusive bird identification. If only it was printed on waterproof paper...