This is the definitive guide to the birds of these two lovely Caribbean islands. Lying close to the Venezuelan coast, Trinidad and Tobago hold many Neotropical species not found elsewhere in the Caribbean, and have a total bird list of over 450 species, making the pair of islands one of the most bird-rich countries per square mile in the world. Unsurprisingly, the islands are extremely popular with birders. This guide covers all species resident in or regularly visiting the islands. As well as field identification, it deals with habitats and status, range and subspecies, diet, nesting and behaviour. The introduction looks at the general ecology and history of ornithology in the islands.
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Book Description
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About the Author
Richard ffrench first visited Trinidad in 1955 and subsequently taught there until his retirement. He is the acknowledged authority on the islands' birds and his best-selling guide has been in print continuously since 1973.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not up to scratch!,
By
This review is from: A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (Comstock books) (Paperback)
Sadly, this book is a disappointment. Using it was commonly an exercise in frustration and futility. Unlike other books in the same series, there was a noticeable lack of information - particularly Plates - on even the most common birds. The Plates that were available often showed marked errors e.g. colouring, from the actual birds (eventually) identified. I found quite quickly that my poor view of this book was widely shared by the local guides - it was universally criticised as below the required standard. I wished I'd taken my "Birds of Costa Rica" instead - I would have been better off!
24 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best Neotropical bird guides ever written!,
By A Customer
This review is from: A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (Comstock books) (Paperback)
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has long been a mecca for visiting birders eager to conveniently experience the sights and sounds of South American birds. This book, which is essentially a hybrid between a manual and a field guide, is exceptionally well written, packing in more natural history information than most bird guides. The introductory chapters provide an excellent overview of Trinidad and Tobago. The greatest asset of the book is the natural history information provided in the species accounts. The extensive coverage of the literature makes this book an excellent reference, but few recent sources are cited. Although the taxonomy is outdated, it is familiar to the older generations. Information on the status and distribution of birds--which birders lust--is often vague, but usually accurate. The biggest drawback is the illustrations, which depict only species not illustrated in the North American guides, and are poorly organized. Despite these shortcomings, this is an excellent, authoritative book which must be purchased by any serious birder who plans to visit Trinidad and Tobago. I hope a more compact revision is forthcoming...
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
the best reference available on Tobago birds,
By
This review is from: A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (Comstock books) (Paperback)
I used ffrench's guide for a month of birding on Tobago, and found many mistakes. The plates are incomplete and inaccurate (the chachalaca, Tobago's national bird, is not given a color plate), the "range and subspecies" descriptions are confusing, the English names are not up-to-date with current ornithological classifications, and it is just plain difficult to use. I give it two stars instead of one because it is pretty much the only guide for Trinidad and Tobago birds available, so if you plan to do any bird watching on Trinidad or Tobago, you're better off with this book than without it. One of the biggest problems is that ffrench often does not include plates of common North American birds (the broad-winged hawk, for example), so if you are not familiar with North American birds, I suggest you also bring another field guide, such as Sibley's or Peterson's.
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