David Allen Sibley, the preeminent bird-guide author and illustrator, now applies his formidable skills of identification and illustration to the trees of North America.<br><br>Monumental in scope but small enough to take into the field, <i>The Sibley Guide to </i>Trees is an astonishingly elegant guide to a complex subject. It condenses a huge amount of information about tree identification&mdash;more than has ever been collected in a single book&mdash;into a logical, accessible, easy-to-use format.<br><br>With more than 4,100 meticulous, exquisitely detailed paintings, the <i>Guide</i> highlights the often subtle similarities and distinctions between more than 600 tree species&mdash;native trees as well as many introduced species. No other guide has ever made field identification so clear.<br><br>Features highlighted include:<br>&bull; leaves (including multiple leaf shapes and fall leaf color)<br>&bull; bark<br>&bull; needles<br>&bull; cones<br>&bull; flowers<br>&bull; fruit<br>&bull; twigs<br>&bull; silhouettes<br><br>More than 500 maps show the complete range, both natural and cultivated, for nearly all species. <br><br>Trees are arranged taxonomically, with all related species grouped together. By focusing on the fundamental characteristics of, for example, oaks or chestnuts or hickories, the <i>Guide</i> helps the user recognize these basic species groups the same way birders recognize thrushes, warblers, or sparrows.<br><br>In addition, there are essays on taxonomy, on the cultivation of trees, and on conservation issues, reflecting Sibley's deep concern with habitat preservation and environmental health.<br><br>An important new contribution to our understanding of the natural world, <i>The Sibley Guide to Trees </i>will be a necessity for every tree lover, traveler, and naturalist. It is sure to become the new benchmark in field guides to trees.