Birds of the Indian-Subcontinent (Helm Field Guides) [Paperback]

Richard Grimmett (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0713663049 | ISBN-13: 978-0713663044 | Publication Date: January 31, 2002

This is a pocket version companion to Birds of the Indian Subcontinent" covering all the bird species found in India, Pakistian, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the Maldives. The plates face the descriptions for quick at-a glance reference. This guide provides tables, summarising identification features of particularly difficult groups such as nightjars, warblers and rosefinches."

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: A&C Black (January 31, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0713663049
• ISBN-13: 978-0713663044
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,894,312 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Birds of the Indian Subcontinent, June 26, 2004

By 

Glen Persson (Sweden) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birds of the Indian-Subcontinent (Helm Field Guides) (Paperback)

This is the most perfect book. It takes you to every country in the area with detailed maps for every of the 1200 species that`s been recorded. The plates are excellent with no exceptions and every bird are depicted more than once.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pocket Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent, March 8, 2010

By 

Nadika Hapuarachchi - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Birds of the Indian-Subcontinent (Helm Field Guides) (Paperback)

One of the best bird guides I ever had. Very good book for a birder with some experience. I would not recommend this for someone just starting bird watching, since this book covers the whole subcontinent. For a starter I would recommend a country specific bird guide.

2.0 out of 5 stars Not user-friendly, not practical if you are visiting one country at a time, March 21, 2011

By 

Lisa Schipper (Berkeley) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Birds of the Indian-Subcontinent (Helm Field Guides) (Paperback)

I have been living in this region for the last 6 years, and I have used several guides. I recently returned from a trekking trip in Nepal and I was not happy with this guide. For starters, it is very heavy - even though it is a field guide. The most irritating part, however, is the lack of detailed information about the birds' behaviour and habitats. Providing a description of their markings doesn't really help when I also have the picture there. If I am having a hard time identifying the bird with only its physical appearance, I want information about flight style, habitats and - especially for Nepal - altitude! Given that the guide covers so many countries, you will find pages of warblers and finches but without sufficient information to identify which one you have seen. My final point of frustration is that the distribution maps are rarely on the same page as the pictures and descriptions. Given that the area is really big, I can't really expect very detailed distribution info, but at least then provide altitude and habitat! But the maps are often several pages before or after the pictures, which means you have to keep the bird number in mind, the Plate number in mind, as well as the page number of the map - so that you can flip back and forth - really time-consuming and not at all practical if you are trekking (maybe easier if you can sit still, but then of course it isn't a 'Field Guide').

I was lucky enough to be travelling with someone else who had the Nepal guide (Field Guide to the Birds of Nepal), so I could quickly check when I was uncertain. That book is basically the Nepal version of the larger book with the same pictures, however, is much lighter with better descriptions and would have been a better guide for my trek. I would also recommend the Oxford Sri Lanka guide. There is also a Bhutan guide (again by the same authors with the same pictures), which is also very easy to use.