Customer Reviews

BIRDS OF JAPAN

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This book is primarily a guide to the distribution of Japanese birds, and the historical record of their locations. Brazil lists every species ever seen in Japan and tells where and when it is found (by prefecture, island, or even more specific location if the bird is rare). Then he describes its habitat, nesting habits and seasons, and usually its calls. Finally, he lists the authorities who have described it and summarizes the large regions in which it has been seen.

Nowhere does he discuss the birds' appearances at all. There are six nice color plates and some excellent line drawings, but in total these show only about 100 birds, and are not planned with identification in mind in any case.

Brazil includes an amazing bibliography, totaling over 1000 entries going back to the early 1800s. The bibliography alone is worth the price of the book. In his text, however, he does not limit his citations to the bibliography but also references a large number his own personal observations and communications from other observers.

Mark Brazil is a major authority on Japanese birds, and this book is valuable in many ways. But it is in no sense an identification guide.

Basics: 1991, hardcover, 466 pages, 35 species illustrated in 6 color plates, 578 species described, range maps for each

This book is not a field guide, but a reference for the distribution, status, and sight records of all of Japan's birds. Each bird receives between one-quarter and one-half page of text. Approximately half of the text reviews the bird's abundance in various areas of Japan. A paragraph is also dedicated to notes on the bird's breeding and nesting. Subspecies are also briefly addressed. Lastly, a listing of locations is given to document where the birds have been documented. In case you're wondering, there is zero description of the bird itself.

The six color plates show 35 species. These plates are of a high quality. They make the reader (i.e., me!) wish the artist could complete an entire field guide with the same caliber of skill.

Range maps at the back of the book take up the last 145 pages, with four range maps per page. These show only Japan and its islands. Each map is a larger-than-normal 3.5 x 2.5 inches. The species vagrant to Japan are represented by small black dots at each documented location. These black dots are not always readily apparent and can be easily overlooked.

A massive bibliography with 1,286 listings is given at the end of the book.

This book will appeal to those people with a more specific focus on scientific or reference information on the birds of Japan.

I've listed several related books below...
1) Field Guide to the Birds of Japan by the Wild Bird Society of Japan
2) A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Japan and North-East Asia by Shimba
3) A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Japan (4582542301) in Japanese
4) Wild Birds of Japan by Kanouchi (4635070077) in Japanese
5) Birds of Japan: Photographic Field Book 15 (4635060721) in Japanese
6) Birds of Japan: Photographic Pocket Guide (4635062171) in Japanese
7) A Field Guide to the Birds of Korea by Lee/Koo/Park
8) Wild Birds of Korea by Yoon
9) Birds of Japan in Natural Colours by Kobayashi