Customer Reviews

Birds of the Solomons, Vanuatu & New Caledonia

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an excellent, one-of-a-kind field guide. Not since the 1940s has any book on this area of the Pacific appeared, let alone such a beautiful, usable field guide. The illustrations, maps and text are both accurate and up-to-date. The authors, highly reputable ornithologists of international stature, are to be congratulated on their efforts in this little-known area of the Pacific, historically and currently beset with political strife.

Melanesia is one of my favourite parts of the world, home to beautiful, largely unspoilt islands and unique fauna.
This being the only field guide to the birds of 3 of the Melanesian countries, it was a must have on my recent trip there, and it proved invaluable indeed. It is comprehensive, covering all species known to occur in the region covered, and in fact it allowed me to identify most birds I have seen. Although a few illustrations are poor, even hindering correct id'ing (hence the 4 stars), most were found to be pretty good.
Maps and text are placed opposite the colour plates, which is handy for quickly seeing what species are found on any one given island at all.
The book is also light enough to be portable in the field.
In short, if you are lucky enough to visit these exotic archipelagos and have any interest in birds (easily the most visible part of their terrestrial fauna), don't leave home without this guide!

Yes, but it would have been nice had they included the French names of the birds in New Caledonia (Nouvelle Caledonie!) where pretty much no one speaks English, and even if they do, they don't know the names of the birds in English (or even the scientific names). Before you go, get the French names and write them in your book so you can ask people about them (or just show them the pictures, I guess).