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Roger Tory Peterson’s depictions of birds are distinct, clean and clear. He does not attempt an artistic portrait of a bird, but presents each species as it might appear in good light with distinct markings emphasized by arrows. Descriptions are equally clear.
Here is his short, but definitive, description of a Carolina Wren: “A large wren, the size of a small sparrow. Warm reddish brown above, buff below. Has a conspicuous white eyebrow stripe.” Can that be bettered? .
Roger Tory Peterson was a genius in describing bird sounds and call notes. This is what he wrote about the Tufted Titmouse: “A clear whistled chant: peter, peter, peter or here, here, here, here. Notes similar to those of chickadees, but more drawling, nasal, wheezy and complaining.”
Having written the above, I must add that Lee Trott prefers Birds of North America; A Guide to Field Identification by Chandler Robbins and others (Golden Press, New York). Recently I asked Lee to explain her preference. “The illustrations are clearer,” she said. Each species is beautifully depicted by the late bird artist, Arthur Singer. His colors, as reproduced in the book, are rich and distinct, 'fhe bird is shown in a characteristic pose; Peterson always shows a side view.
Another advantage to the Golden Press book is that the range maps are on the same page with the bird’s picture and description. In Peterson,
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