What It's Like to Be a Bird is the best birding book for people who are new to bird watching. Not only does David Allen Sibley identify birds, but he also describes bird behaviors. As some new to bird watching in rural Tennessee, Sibley's book has enabled me to better understand bird feeding habits. This book is ideal for gift giving. Highly recommended

Every so often the ARC gods grant me a request of a book so magnificent, I have to purchase a copy for myself. This is one such book. A must in any bird watcher's bookshelves.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of What It's Like to Be a Bird.
This is a beautiful book all about birds. For sure a book for ever bird lover!

This book is absolutely beautiful, and I was surprised at how much fun I had reading this! Even my son was interested and asked lots of questions. I loved this so much, I purchased a copy for myself as well as my Dad for Christmas, as he and his wife are frequent bird watchers.

I am a wildlife professional and a bird enthusiast. No one does it better than Sibley when it comes to birds. This book has gorgeous and exacting illustrations, and includes a wide range of information, from the biology of birds to how bird interact with the world and the changes humans have caused. The writing is scientific, but I believe would be easily readable even to those unused to nonfiction texts. Love it!

An excellent resource on all things BIRD. From the evolution of birds to how feathers function, variation in birds (what, when, where, why), the senses, and the unique anatomy and physiology of different species - there are a million little tidbits included in the introductory section. This is followed by individual sections on specific groups and species - filled with information on coloring, calls, mating and nesting habits, etc. Puncuated throughout the book are beautiful full-color illustrations. A fantastic reference .... whether you are an ornithologist or a backyard birder.

I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY ADVANCED READER COPY OF THIS BOOK THROUGH NETGALLEY. OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS REVIEW ARE COMPLETELY MY OWN.)

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love this book! I love birds, and I just had to get my hands on this! So much great info!

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

My Sibley bird book is one of my two birding Bibles. David Sibley may be the greatest living ornithologist of our day, but this book is not a guide book. Rather, it's a collection of essays and beautiful watercolor illustrations of birds that will delight the lifelisters you know as well as those wanting to start birding as a new hobby. The illustrations are amazing, and the layout is clean and crisp and delightful. The facts and tidbits may be familiar to serious birders, but I am probably the world's worst birder, so even though I knew many of these facts, I enjoyed reading them again, often in conjunction with an illustration that made it clearer and more informative. I loved it so much I hope someone gets me the hardcover for Christmas this year. Highly Recommended.

I loved this book. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars.

Very enjoyable read! Filled with fun facts about birds by type. I recommend the printed version because the digital one was hard to follow.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. A very cool book about birds. I will want my own copy for sure.

This is a wonderful compendium related to birds in general and different species. For example, who knew that bird feathers had so many functions, such as keeping birds dry in the rain? And who knew that birds molt at least once a year and sometimes twice; molting keeps some species from flying for several weeks. Who knew that many of their senses are stronger than ours, and that they can feel magnetic fields? I will never view birds the same way. The illustrations are glorious, although I read an uncorrected proof, and all the drawings were not in place. This is a highly recommended read for experienced bird lovers and those new to the avian world.

Bird nerds rejoice! This book is a beautiful, if not necessarily comprehensive, guide to bird behavior and quirks. I found it immensely enjoyable to read during spring migration-- I'd come in from my morning walk, and scroll through to the birds I saw, learning a bit about why they did the things they did, or when I might expect to see them in the fall. This book is completely accessible, and hopefully will open the door for even more birdlovers.

I can’t say enough about the imagery in this book! It’s a sweet book with great information. You will love the pictures and will want to use it for your classroom or to simply sit out on your coffee table. A great gift for anyone who loves birds.

They say this pandemic has propelled thousands to become birders--and this volume is perfectly timed to answer the questions of birders and non-birders alike. Brimming with fascinating information and seasoned with the author's passion for his subject. The digital version currently lacks the artwork, but it's bound to be gorgeous.

Cardinals are one of my favorite birds. I’m always reading and learning more about them all the time.
This book is absolutely wonderful. Beautiful graphics of the species referred to. More importantly, there is more detailed information about some birds that go beyond the other books I’ve read. It mentions every little nuance of the bird, from soup to nuts. Naturally, every single species could not be co tai Ed I’m one nook but certainly can appreciate the ones included. Having had a bird feeder in my yard for over 20 years, I can never get enough of birds. This is one book every series bird watcher and/or bird lover should own.
I received an advanced reader copy at no cost from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

What It's Like to Be a Bird by David Allen Sibley is a fun collection of trivia and information about birds - all sorts of birds! The first part of the book is literally just bullet points of different obscure facts about random birds:

Eagles see about five times more detail than we do.
Crows are able to demonstrate understanding equal to a five-year old human.
The Peregrine Falcon has been clocked at 242 mph.

Don't get me wrong, these factoids are fascinating - and I'll definitely be pulling them out next time the topic of birds pops up - but the bulleted format reminded me more of a kid's book (or a bathroom reading book) than a serious birding book.

The remainder of the book is equally fact-filled, just not bulleted. Here again, there is a ton of really interesting information, and if you're into birds, you will likely eat this section up. I enjoyed it, and learned a lot, but the writing style was disconnected and really didn't engage me in any deeper way than just pure curiosity.

I should note this review is based on an advance copy read of the e-reader version of What It's Like to Be a Bird. This version includes a wide variety of great artwork, however, my understanding is that the artwork in the hardcover version of this book is breathtaking. Although the copy and the artwork are the same, I've an idea that the visual impact of IRL artwork - as opposed to digital artwork - would make this book more of a coffee table piece than something I'd just sit down and read on my e-reader. That would make more sense and would likely increase my overall enjoyment and engagement of the book.

I truly enjoyed this book! Every page has valuable information, including beautiful, detailed artwork, which for me was the highlight of this book.

My friends who are bird watchers will definitely love this book.

I am a bird lover and this book hits the spot! I would say this is a book to read a little everyday! I enjoy learning fun facts and I think the author did a nice job of finding the most interesting things. Birds are far more complex then I originally thought! This was a insightful and I enjoyed it!

What It's Like To Be A Bird is a gorgeous book! It is filled with information about all different aspects of bird life, and I learned something on every page. David Allen Sibley is an expert in the field, and this is a wonderful work that combines detail with breadth. But for me the highlight of this book is the art - so many birds rendered in extraordinary detail and color. Reading this book is a relaxing escape into this one facet of nature - such a treat. This would be a wonderful gift for a bird lover of any age (or anyone decorating a new home who might appreciate a beautiful coffee table book!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am so happy with What It's Like to Be a Bird by David Allen Sibley! I have a collection of Sibley postcards already, so I was very excited to receive a free ARC of this Sibley book! Renowned ornithologist David Allen Sibley has so much to teach us about birds, and bird lovers will be impressed with this book. Written and illustrated by Sibley, this book is a work of art. The one thing I would change is that I wish the birds had been organized alphabetically, but that is just a small detail. I really liked the “what to do if…” section that provides practical advice on what to do when you encounter birds!