There are several good bird field guides on the market, in bookstores. One is Sibley's, another is Stokes, and another is authored by Roger Tory Peterson. Audubon puts out a field guide to birds in both an eastern and western version, depending on the region you live in. They also have a special paperback on North American Waterfowl. Your local bookstore should have several of these.

The Audubon book is fine, except that all of the photos of the birds are in one section, and the text in another, making it inconvenient to use at times when you need to ID a bird quickly. The best bird guides are those that have the pictures and text for each species together, so that all the information is right there alongside the illustration. Almost all field guides contain seasonal range maps so you know which species are most likely to be seen when in your area.

National Geographic also puts out a bird book.

All of the various field guides have advantages and disadvantages. It's a good idea to have more than one, because what one doesn't offer, another will, and vice-versa.

Good birding, and please let us know which ones you find most helpful for you.

I have found the Peterson bird books to be the best for identifying birds.