Birds of the Seychelles (Princeton Field Guides) [Paperback]

Ian Bullock (Author), Adrian Skerrett (Author), Tony Disley (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Princeton Field Guides | Publication Date: May 1, 2001

This is the first comprehensive guide to the birds of the Seychelles, a spectacular archipelago of 115 islands north of Madagascar. It describes and illustrates every species for the first time--more than 250 in all--and gives extended species accounts for all 66 breeding species. These accounts cover breeding biology and, for all indigenous species, threats and conservation. The volume also offers the first detailed accounts of all 26 Seychelles' endemics, including their origins, in popular form.

Given the archipelago's location, almost any European migrant can turn up in the Seychelles. This makes it all the more remarkable that the authors consider every species recorded to date, as well as unrecorded potential vagrants. Beautiful color plates and clear plumage details, as well as information on confusion species, are included to aid identification by sex and age.

This is a valuable reference for anyone contemplating a trip to this popular birding destination or anyone with an interest in the natural history of the western Indian Ocean region. There is simply no other choice for either the serious ornithologist or the casual birder.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"The information contained in this work is accurate and up to date, the plates are of a high standard, and the species accounts are detailed and informative. This is an important addition to the ornithology of the region and should be of interest to ornithologists worldwide as well as to birders visiting the Seychelles."--Steve Rooke

About the Author

Adrian Skerrett is the author of The Beauty of Seychelles, Journey through Seychelles, and other books. A resident of Seychelles since 1980 and a national since 1994, he has served as Country Executive Officer for RSNC and a Trustee of Seychelles Islands Foundation for over twenty years. He is Secretary of the Seychelles Bird Records Committee, which he founded in 1992, as well as Treasurer of the Native Protection Trust of Seychelles and the Marine Conservation Society of Seychelles. Ian Bullock, a former manager of Aride Island nature reserve in Seychelles, helped organize the first successful transfer of Seychelles warbler from Cousin to Aride. He currently works for the RSPB as warden and manager for the Pembrokeshire islands of Ramsey and Grassholm. Tony Disley is a freelance illustrator and artist. His first field guide was the award-winning Birds of Gambia. He won the prestigious 'Richard Richardson' award for bird illustration twice.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691088632
• ISBN-13: 978-0691088631
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #492,579 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > History > Africa > Seychelles

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great overall book, April 27, 2009

By 

Turtle Lover "Turtle Lover" (Boca Raton, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birds of the Seychelles (Princeton Field Guides) (Paperback)

This is a great book. I am originally from the Seychelles, and I am going back to visit this summer with my family. I am a recent birder, and I am very much looking forward to using this book to help identify the birds there. The book has beautiful illustrations and is very informative. I like that it includes general maps of the islands, a list of birds most likely to be found at the different islands, a glossary of terms, a bird checklist, and a list and description of the plants mentioned in the book. The book is set up so that you have a general overview with illustrations at the beginning, and then there are more details for each bird in the back. This can be good when you just want to find a bird quickly to ID it but then read more about it later. I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for one specific to the Seychelles.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Perfect field guide to any of the the Seychelles islands, July 6, 2008

By 

Soleglad (Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birds of the Seychelles (Princeton Field Guides) (Paperback)

Basics: 2001, softcover, 320 pages, 53 color plates, 250 species, no range maps

This is definitely the best book available for the birds of the Seychelles. It covers every bird known to visit this island group. The first half of the book holds the 53 plates while the second half is dedicated to individual species accounts.

The plates are done very well. Every bird is illustrated in 3-7 plumages or positions. These illustrations depict gender, age, and seasonal variations along with perched, in-flight, or displaying postures. As an example, the three species of fody are shown with 17 different illustrations. No other book comes close to this. There are also another 17 b&w drawings contained within the text to show more detail and species comparisons.

Each bird is given extensive coverage in the species accounts. Almost half of the text is dedicated to a description of the bird with the remaining text covering voice, behavior, and range. The endemic species receive more in-depth information about breeding, threats, and conservation.

I found the accounts to be very thorough, such as describing the confusing warbler species very well. The authors did a good job at covering the subspecies and comparing similar species.

For a birding visit to the Seychelles, this book contains it all and is the only one you'll need.

Other Related Books:
1) Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands by Sinclair/Langrand
2) The Birds of Seychelles and Outlying Islands by Penny
3) The Beautiful Birds of Seychelles by Skerrett
4) Birds of Seychelles by Beamish