53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely superb, April 2, 1998
This review is from: Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World (Hardcover)
This review is from the standpoint of a person who keeps parrots as companion birds. Just so you know where I'm coming from. This BOOK however was created primarily for the field identification of parrots in the wild. It illustrates in color paintings every species of parrot and most of the subspecies, a la the Peterson guides. Then it has sections on Identification, voice, Distribution and Status, Ecology, Description, Sex/Age, Measurements, Geographical Variation (races), and References. This is a double-column book that uses 8 point type so there is a phenomenal amount of information within its almost 600 pages. I so fell in love with this book when I saw it that I couldn't resist paying full price even though I knew I'd probably get a substantial discount from Amazon.
This book is about how parrots live in the wild. This is not a book about parrots in captivity in case you own companion parrots. But I've repeatedly found that if you have a knowledge of how your pets live in the wild, this can shed great insight on their behavior in the home, which is perhaps the most important reason I would recommend this book for those keeping parrots as companions.
The paintings are scientifically accurate rather than works of art, although they are attractive enough. The printed quality of the color plates is very high for a book of this nature, but the pictures are small. Typical is the Leadbeater which is about 2". There are only 88 color plates covering 350 species and subspecies (500 illustrations in all), so that gives you an idea of how dense each page is. Typical for a guidebook however.
A very interesting feature of this book is that it gives field conservationist estimates of the total world population of most species. For example, from this book I learned that the published figures in the popular press for Galahs are grossly inflated according to the estimates made by field conservationists. The actual estimated world population is 5,000,000, not 100,000,000 that I'd read elsewhere (Australian government reports?). And the huge shoals number about 1,000, not 100,000 that I'd also read elsewhere.
As for Little Corellas, the world population is estimated to be about 1,000,000. The Long-billed Corella currently has a population of 250,000 and increasing. Ducorps: 100,000 and stable. Umbrella world population: unknown but estimates range from 50,000 to 200,000. Moluccan: estimated at 8,000. Leadbeater: 20,000. Think twice before getting a Moluccan as a companion bird. Perhaps they should be kept in breeding programs for a while. (Can you tell I'm a cockatoo afictionado?)
It needs to be emphasized that the population figures supplied ARE from field conservationists and so are probably very conservative, and will be in disagreement with government reports that might see a particular species as a pest (like Galahs and Little Corellas). The actual numbers are probably somewhere in between but undoubtedly much closer to the figures quoted than the ones we hear of from people who want us to think that nothing is wrong, or that THEY are being wronged (like the farmers in Australia).
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22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent addition to any naturalist's library, October 27, 1998
This review is from: Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World (Hardcover)
This book belongs in the library of any naturalist or bird lover. The plates are wonderful with vivid colors that serve to identify the various species. The text provides concise information on natural history, a map of each species' range in the wild, its conservation status and other information. This book could be used in the field or as a comprehensive reference book on these remarkable birds. The authors must have poured a phenomenal amount of work into researching and writing this book. Buy one for yourself and another for a friend.
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18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Terrific Guide to Parrots!, April 6, 2001
This review is from: Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World (Hardcover)
This is got to be one of the best guide books I have ever seen featuring over 350 different species of parrots on our planet. Being the bird lover that I am, and that includes domestic as well as wild birds, I own almost every book out there on birds, and I really love this edition by Tony Juniper & Mike Parr. It should really be called an encyclopedia because there is just so much information in these almost 600 pages. The 88 superb color illustrations of all the species by 5 different artists are so beautiful & true to life. As you already know by reading the editorial & other reviews, this book includes range maps of the species locations, their vocalizations, life expectancies, and much more fascinating information.
Remember, this is not a book about parrots in captivity, its information about birds in the wild. If you don't own a parrot and are thinking about one, this book is a definite help in learning about all the different species that are out there. The more knowledge you have the better it will be when you do decide to pick out that perfect companion parrot for yourself & family. Owning a companion parrot is a lifetime commitment that shouldn't be taken lightly. I know I researched many months before I found the perfect parrot for us. The love you receive in return from your parrot will amaze you. I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars. Highly recommended!
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