Start with high-confidence birdwatching books, then narrow by subgenre or adjacent topics.
Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Eastern & Central North America, Seventh Ed.
Roger Tory Peterson
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America
Jon L. Dunn, Jonathan Alderfer
National Geographic Backyard Guide to the Birds of North America, 2nd Edition
Jonathan Alderfer
North American Bird Watching for Beginners
Sharon Stiteler
The Birds of America
John James Audubon, David Allen Sibley
