The Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi (Princeton Field Guides) [Paperback]

Terry Stevenson (Author), John Fanshawe (Author)

Book Description

Series: Princeton Field Guides | Publication Date: January 30, 2002

Birds of East Africa is the first comprehensive field guide to this spectacular birding region--and one of the best to any region in the world. Covering all resident, migrant, and vagrant birds of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, this small and compact guide describes and illustrates a remarkable 1,388 species in convenient facing-page layout. Featuring 287 new color plates with 3,400 images painstakingly rendered by three experienced artists, the guide illustrates all the plumages and major races likely to be encountered. Set opposite the plates are range maps and concise accounts describing identification, status, range, habits, and voice for each species. Introductory sections provide notes on how to use the species accounts, the nomenclature adopted, conservation issues, where to send records, and maps of protected and other important bird areas.

Between them, Terry Stevenson and John Fanshawe have more than 40 years' experience leading bird tours and conducting conservation work in East Africa. The region shelters a remarkable diversity of birds, including many seriously threatened species with small and vulnerable ranges. The region's birds form a constantly colorful, noisy, and highly extroverted part of the landscape. The book is sure to become an indispensable guide for anyone interested in studying or conserving birds in East Africa, as well as the many visitors who simply want to enjoy the sheer beauty of its birds.

• First comprehensive field guide to the countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi
• Covers 1,388 species, with 3,400 color images on 287 plates
• Concise species accounts facing the plates describe appearance, status, range, habits, and voice
• A color distribution map is given for each species
• Information on habitats, protected areas, and conservation issues
• The essential guide to the birds of this spectacular region
• An overview of East African birds
• East African environment
• Seasonality
• Plumage
• Species accounts
• Common alternative names
• Conservation and threatened species
• The local scene
• Glossary, references, and an index

Key Features:

• Small and compact
• Comprehensive species
• All distinctive plumages and races illustrated
• Color plates
• Illustrations
• All species ranges mapped
• Key protected and important bird areas mapped

Editorial Reviews

Review

For birders with an interest in the region and those planning a trip, look no further. With the publication of this guide we have distilled into one book all the good elements of what has gone before but better. . . . The plates are the book's tour de force and are simply outstanding. . . . This is by far the best and most exciting guide available for anywhere in Africa. -- Ken Arber, Surfbirds.com



The illustrations in this guide are of a very high standard and show the detail needed for field identification whilst remaining of an artistic quality that makes the book an attractive object as well as a useful one. . . . The brief descriptions are excellent and the language fresh and punchy. . . . A very fine field-guide indeed and sets a new standard for regional African guides. -- Fatbirder.com



As soon as you open the book, you'll realise that the standard of artwork is exceptional. The text is also of an unusually high standard. . . . If you are planning a trip to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda or Burundi this is now unquestionably the most valuable book you can buy. And if you aren't yet planning a trip there this is the perfect book to get you dreaming. -- Birdguides.com



If East Africa is in your dreams, this should fill the bill. -- Charles E. Keller, Indiana Audubon Quarterly

About the Author

Terry Stevenson has made Kenya his home since 1977 and is one of Africa's foremost bird-tour guides, having led numerous tours across the continent. He wrote "The Birds of Lake Baringo" while he was resident ornithologist there from 1981 to 1985, and is a member and advisor to the bird committee of Nature Kenya and to the East African Rarities Committee. John Fanshawe is the Africa consultant for BirdLife International. He has conducted research in the region for many years, and is widely regarded as unrivaled in his knowledge of East African birds and their conservation.

Product Details

• Paperback: 602 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (January 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691126658
• ISBN-13: 978-0691126654
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #51,607 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > History > Africa > Uganda
  • #4 in Books > History > Africa > Tanzania
  • #4 in Books > History > Africa > Kenya

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous new East African bird book., December 28, 2001

By 

John D. Gerhart - See all my reviews

This review is from: Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi (Hardcover)

After years of having one of the world's worst bird books, East Africa now has two of the best. The Zimmerman/Turner book on Kenya and Northern Tanzania, the work of 30 years, set a new standard of scholarship and illustration. This book draws on that one, but is even better for the tourist and field birder. It covers all of Uganda and Tanzania, as well as Rwanda and Burundi. It is smaller and lighter to carry. And the illustrations and their placement in related groups on the same page are simply outstanding. This is one of the best bird books in the world and will dominate the market for years to come.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa is superb!!, November 27, 2001

By 

James L. Spingarn "bird&aircraft book lover" (Glen Head, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi (Hardcover)

I think I have all the guides to the birds of East Africa in the last 30 years, but this most recent by Terry Stevenson and John Fanshawe is certainly the most comprehensive, artistically excellent and usable. Ber van Perlo's Collins Illustrated Checklist "Birds of Eastern Africa" is smaller and lighterweight but no comparison, nor intended to be, in description or plate detail. This new volume, with a 2002(!) publication date has amongst the best plates and abbreviated descriptions, in my opinion, ever published in a comparable volume on birds. Artists John Gale and Brian Small are fabulous (Norman Arlott lacks their skills, but does his subjects justice as well). It is a exceedingly worthwhile complement to Dale Zimmerman's larger format "Birds of Kenya and northern Tanzania" and includes all of Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi as well. Don't miss this book!

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a good start - but a thorough review is in order, March 19, 2002

By 

J.J. Bouwman (Zeist, Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi (Hardcover)

I used this field guide during my recent trip to Kenya and Uganda. Although it is by all means an excellent fieldguide I do have some remarks. A number of the plates contained errors, suggesting the artists didn't see these birds in the field. I realise it is virtually impossible for artists to see all species featured in a book such as this in the field, so that a lot of plates are drawn from skins. It is important however to use skins from the region itself, this may make a lot of difference. We came to the conclusion that for a number of species skins from west Africa were used. Especially the greenbuls had some misleading plates. For a number of species the Kenyan Zimmerman-book is probably better, although those plates lack in other respects.
In addition a number of the maps were incorrect, especially for Uganda.
Still, if you go to the region for birding, make sure to get this book, because it is definitely the best field guide around.