? "Best" Bird ID Book?

I inherited several bird books from my parents, who were very active in Audubon. My favorite is Sibley's.

We use "iBird West Guide to Birds" on our iPad and iPhones. It is for the western US and offers several pictures of each bird and a recording of their call.

The Peterson Field Guide is the "go to" birding book, but I find that sometimes it doesn't have enough pictures of the possible variations of bird coloring.

We use Peterson constantly, and then seach the internet if needed for more pictures.

Now I might look into the "The National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America". (thanks 4X4Dodger!)

I faced this dilemma a while ago and I did it this way.

I settled on the book that had these traits:

The largest number of species covered

The easiest for me to find a bird quickly in the text

The pictures that I felt would be best to help ID the bird. (And the nicest)

For me this turned out to be The National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America.

I'm partial to Peterson too, but I suspect it's all in one's own preferences.

Many years ago I took a college-level class on bird identification. Each of us was required to buy a copy of the Peterson Field Guide to use in the class. I still have it and use it as I travel. Very handy.

Wife is been birding last 5 years her favorite is "Peterson" Field Guide to Birds of North America. We have besides Peterson, Sibley Guide to Birds, Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America, and Golden Field Guide, From St. Martin Press, Birds of North America.

She also has the I-Bird app on her Android phone, which is also a very good resource auto updates with photographs and also has bird calls and bird songs. Good because often you have a better chance identifying birds by song or call than visual.

I use this one (among many others), but it is for Alberta.
There must be similar ones for your area.

Birds of Alberta

I am not a "birder", but I met a couple last year that had an app on their phone and Ipad that had all the birds in North America. In color and even had the sound of the chirps the birds make. Real neat. I think that's the route you should go. just saying......