Don’t ditch your Sibley’s just yet

Just the idea of a DVD field guide to 300 North American birds makes me think about throwing my laptop into the daypack next time I go birding. But after spending an evening viewing parts of this three-hour DVD -- both on my computer and on my TV screen -- I realize the concept may need some refinement. The DVD doesn’t so much replace a field guide as serve as a worthy companion (though I doubt advanced birders would find much of interest).

There’s no narration or description, just snippets of birds flying, feeding and clinging to branches. The visuals are good but uneven. For example, the California gull is shown in three growth stages while other species are referenced with a still photo or drawing.

Most disappointing is the audio, which is sometimes marred by background noise and sometimes nonexistent. The calls aren’t always synced to the image and often are repeated -- like a foreign-language tape. The makers advise buying a palm-sized DVD player for field use. I say wait for an improved edition.

-- Mary Forgione