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The Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic
 
 
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The Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic [Hardcover]

Mark Beaman (Author), Steve Madge (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)


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Book Description

December 7, 1998

Drawing on their unrivaled field experience in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, authors Mark Beaman and Steve Madge have combined forces with some of Europe's finest bird artists to produce the region's most comprehensive guide ever. This is the first book to cover every species to have occurred in the region, including vagrants and accidentals--nearly nine hundred species in total. Color illustrations depict each bird and its main plumage stages and subspecies. An extensive text explains all aspects of identification, status, and habitat, while full-color maps within the text offer detailed distributional information.

During the compilation of this book, Beaman and Madge traveled throughout the region, from Iceland and Siberia to the Cape Verde Islands, Egypt, and Georgia. Their field experience is reflected in the breadth and accuracy of the information presented in this guide and in the thorough treatment of difficult or little-known groups. The innovative design of the book makes it accessible to beginning and expert birdwatchers alike. The Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic is the ultimate reference guide for every birdwatcher interested in the region.



Editorial Reviews

Review

A volume that should be on the shelf of every serious student of bird identification. Adding to the value of the plates, which were produced by a cadre of Europe¹s best bird artists, is that they are as attractive as any I have seen. -- Review

From the Publisher

Drawing on their unrivaled field experience in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, authors Mark Beaman and Steve Madge have combined forces with some of Europe's finest bird artists to produce the region's most comprehensive bird guide ever. The book covers nearly nine hundred species, with color illustrations showing the main plumage stages and subspecies, and an extensive yet concise text explaining all aspects of identification as well as status and habitat. Large detailed maps offering distributional information have been designed for easy use by beginning and expert birdwatchers alike.

During the compilation of this book, Beaman and Madge traveled throughout the region, from Iceland and Siberia, to the Cape Verde Islands, Egypt, and Georgia. Their field experience is reflected in the breadth and accuracy of the information presented in this guide. The innovative design of this book allows for a thorough treatment of difficult or littleknown groups. In fact, far more plumages are illustrated and discussed in this book than in other field guides, making An Identification Guide to the Birds of Europe and the Western Palearctic an indispensable resource for all serious birdwatchers.


Product Details

  • Hardcover: 784 pages
  • Publisher: Princeton University Press (December 7, 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0691027269
  • ISBN-13: 978-0691027265
  • Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.1 x 2.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 4.9 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,537,218 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

3 Reviews
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4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
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2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellently detailed one volume book, May 13, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: The Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic (Hardcover)
This book has a well thought out format with beautiful, detailed illustrations of the species in their different plumages. It is the only current one volume presentation of the birds of the western palearctic. It is thoughtfully written and the distribution maps are nicely detailed and easily understood.
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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars The ultimate guide for identification?, February 2, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: The Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic (Hardcover)
I was a little disappointed when I finally got my copy, since I expected more based on the ads and the book's price. I can recommend this book for those collectors who want to have ALL the nice bird books, but a non-European would find it way too heavy to carry in the field, and citizens of almost every European country would find outdated (i.e 10 years old) information on the distribution of several species. Even the country boundaries are representing pre-1990 status in the Eastern part of Europe (Czechoslovakia does not exist as one country any more etc.). While two thumbs down for the distribution maps, the text is OK (although not free of mistakes, either) and the pictures range from mediocre to very good. If you are on a tight budget buy only Svensson et al's Collins Bird Guide (under a different title in the US though) for less than half of this book's price but has excellent pictures and a perfect size for your pocket.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars If you want a field guide buy a field guide, December 19, 2002
By 
Richard Laven (Dumfries Scotland) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   
This review is from: The Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic (Hardcover)
The previous reviewer criticised this for being too heavy to take to the field. That's hardly what it's for! To get 900 birds and this much information into a field guide you had to have had a free magnifying glass to read it. As to complaints that some of its political geography is outdated, Pshaw! A book as good as this takes years to prepare, it's never going to be able to follow the fast changing countries of Eastern Europe. It's irrelvant if Czechoslovakia doesn't exist as a single political entity anymore, everyone knows what area it refers to.
This is a superb achievement but it needs to be judged for what it is not what it doesn't try to be!
If you want a good European bird field guide, the recent Collins book is probably the best field guide for any region ever.
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