Birds of Africa, Volume VI [Hardcover]

C. Hilary Fry (Editor), Stuart Keith (Editor), Martin Woodcock (Illustrator), Ian Willis (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2000

Universally recognized as by far the most authoritative work ever published on the subject, The Birds of Africa is a superb reference with encyclopedic species texts, stunning paintings, detailed line drawings, and comprehensive bibliographies.
This is the sixth volume in a set of seven, follows the standard taxonomic sequence and deals with songbirds from the babblers to starlings.
A new introduction brings the reader up-to-date with recent developments in the series and includes an essay on aspects of biogeography illustrated through African birds. Overviews of the families are followed by genus summaries (with associated superspecies maps, where appropriate) and the species accounts themselves, organized under standard heading: Range and Status, Description, Field Characters, Voice, General Habits, Food, Breeding Habits, and Key References. Each species has a distribution map and many are illustrated with line drawings showing nests and behavior by Ian Willis.
The texts are written by experts on the species and the editors themselves. There are 36 superb color plates by Martin Woodcock that illustrate all the plumages of all species covered in the volume. Full references to written and sound recorded material complete this authoritative coverage.

* The texts are written by experts on the species and the editors themselves.
* 36 superb colour plates by Martin Woodcock illustrate all the plumages of all the species covered in the volume.
* Full references to written and sound recorded material complete this authoritative coverage.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Volume 6
"...enormous amount of scholarship, skill, determination, expertise and sheer hard work has gone into the production of this book. It is stunning and absolutely essential for anyone with a serious interest in the subject."
—L.D.C. Fishpool in BULL ABC
"Each of these volumes represents a massive amount of work, and the editors and publisher, assisted by an impressive list of contributors, are to be congratulated on putting together the most comprehensive account of African birds ever written. ...this volume is a must for the African ornithologist. ...if you are serious about birds, you cannot afford to be without it."
-BIRDS & BIRDING
"Little can or should be said against a work like this. Birds of Africa is the standard reference for the region with no rival and it is hard to imagine one anyway. All who work in African and tropical/south temperate ornithology owe a great debt of gratitude to the Birds of Africa team."
-IBIS (2001)
"...this volume has been worth the wait. The first thing that strikes you is that this, quite simply, is a beautiful book. From the quality of the paper to the sumptuousness of the plates, here is something a little out of the ordinary."
-BIRDWATCH (April 2001)
"Detailed but readable text, superb paintings and handsome production have already ensured that this series is the standard work on African ornithology."
-NEW SCIENTIST (November 2000)
Praise for Previous Volumes
The Birds of Africa continues on its way to becoming the standard work on African ornithology for the twenty-first century."
--Christopher Perrins in NATURE
Praise for Volume 5
"More than any other volume, this book opened up for me a new world of African ornithology. The end of a wonderful and lasting project is now in sight."
--Alan Kemp, in OSTRICH
"The effort expended has been enormous and remarkably successful considering the immensity of the project. The Birds of Africa is indispensable for anyone with serious interest in African ornithology."
--Dale A. Zimmeran, in AUK
"A magnificent achievement: the sheer depth and compass are breathtaking."
--Leon Bennun, in IBIS
"One of the best handbooks that I have seen and a joy to use; this volume in particular is a magnificent work."
--David Emley, in BRITISH ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN
Praise for Volume 4
"When one thinks of the sheer enormity of this project, the beauty and accuracy of the result can earn unusually high marks. In every way the work complements the diverse and fascinating panorama of African birds."
--Larry Schwab, in WILSON BULLETIN
Praise for Volume 3
"Another masterpiece: altogether editors, authors, artists and publisher must be warmly congratulated on producing a real ornithologists' feast."
--Michael Rands, in OSME Bulletin
Each volume in this excellent series raises the standards set by previous volumes, and this one is no exception...What more to say except that this volume and the rest of the series are simply indispensable for all African ornithologists?"
@source-Alan Tye,in MALIMBUS

From the Back Cover

Universally recognized as by far the most authoritative work ever published on the subject, The Birds of Africa is a superb multi-author reference with encyclopedic species texts, stunning paintings, detailed line drawings, and comprehensive bibliographies.
This, the sixth volume in a set of seven, deals with songbirds from the babblers to starlings.
The new Introduction brings the reader up to date with recent developments in the series and includes illustrations of evolution and biogeography of African birds. Diagnoses of the families and genera, with superspecies maps, are followed by the comprehensive species accounts themselves, organised under: Range and Status, Description, Field Characters, Voice, General Habits, Food, Breeding Habits, and Key References.
All species have coloured distribution maps and many are illustrated with line drawings showing nests and behavior, by Ian Willis. 36 superb color plates by Martin Woodcock illustrate all of the species covered in the volume and numerous subspecies.
Full references to researched and sound recorded material complete this authoritative coverage.
From the Reviews of Previous Volumes
The Birds of Africa continues on its way to becoming the standard work on African ornithology for the twenty-first century."
--Christopher Perrins in NATURE

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 724 pages
• Publisher: Academic Press; 1St Edition edition (September 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0121373061
• ISBN-13: 978-0121373061
• Product Dimensions: 16.7 x 10.4 x 2.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.5 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,684,695 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)