? "Best" Bird ID Book?

We like Sibley's the best.

Peterson is my favorite but I have all and refer to them as each one gives different pictures, colorings, etc. I don't think it's wise to have just one.

I have both Petersen and Audubon and prefer Audubon.

My two favorites are National Geographic and Sibley, but I think Sibley is a little more advanced. Kaufmann is also good. Peterson has a bad habit of putting the range maps far from the pictures, and as a beginner you often need to look at the map to see if this bird "should" be where you are.

Sibley is also available as an app. It is the same content as the book, plus sound recordings. It costs about as much as the book. It downloads totally onto your device, so it takes up 500M, but it does not need a cell phone signal. National Geographic is also available as an app, but I find it poorly organized. The NGS app is very different from the book, and not as good IMHO.

Sibley guides seem to have the best illustrations and descriptions. I've had the Peterson for 40 years and the NG for 12, but the Sibley is just plain better.

I like Sibley's. I bought it for my IPad. You can look up specific birds or give a basic description of the bird and it will list possibilities in you area. I also have National Geographic in paperback.

Sibley's seems the choice for professionals and highly experienced amateurs. It uses technical jargon in places.

NG, Peterson, or Audubon are good for beginners.
I don't like the layout of the Audubon. The photos and text are in different sections of the book and require flipping back and forth. Cumbersome when trying to ID a bird that is flitting around and you are trying to keep an eye on it.

The various cell phone apps require at least cell service, preferably a wifi connection. Don't work out in the boonies when you need it most.

Since you've identified yourself as a new birder then the best guide for you is the 6th edition (most current) of the National Geographic Guide to Birds of North America. If you know this is something you plan to do over the long haul keep track of the birds you see, a Life List, and the NGBNA is best because the descriptions and on one side of the facing page and the pictures are on the other side. The most important thing is to identify as many features of the bird as possible, color, beak, eyes, tail, feathers, etc. before you drop your binoculars to check the guide. The bird won't stick around for you to picture it and then hunt for the description. Not every guide has the picture and description so close together. Sibley's is good but not for a beginner, and the Peterson's Guide is not a user friendly set up.

I also carry a digital recorder so I can watch a bird and describe all the characteristics I see and then play it back later when my eye needs a rest. I use my monocular and spotting scope much more that way and I don't miss seeing too many birds. This summer I hope to add my 500th bird to my life list. Good luck.

I use the Sibly book and Ibird Pro on my iPad. Ever tried to identify sparrows? They all look alike to me.

My favorite is the National Geographic bird book but I also use Sibley. Hubby likes Peterson.