Birds of Africa: From Seabirds to Seed-Eaters (Hardcover)

~ Chris (Author), Tilde Stuart (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-An outstanding, colorful introduction to the fascinating array of avian life found on this vast continent. More than 200 species are grouped by types and families and then discussed. The very readable text gives general characteristics, focusing on each bird's range, habits, food, and means of raising its young. Hundreds of remarkable photo-graphs will catch the attention of casual browsers and enlighten researchers.
Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

There are numerous regional field guides but, surprisingly, few popular books on the birds of Africa. This is an excellent overview of the entire continent, with over 325 color photographs of very high quality. The Stuarts, authors of six other titles on African wildlife, also provide an engaging narrative, informally gathering Africa's birds into 12 categories--chapters such as "Raptors of Night and Day," "Aerial Feeders," and "Birds of the Oceans." Their fine book would have been even better with more introductory material--descriptions of a few of the best places to watch birds, habitat and scenic photographs, etc.--instead of the scant six pages here. Nevertheless, this book is a pleasure to read and a feast for the eyes. Highly recommended.
-Henry T. Armistead, Free Lib. of Philadelphia
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 186 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press; 1 edition (November 12, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262194309
• ISBN-13: 978-0262194303
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,722,628 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good overview of Africa's bird diversity, April 7, 2000

By	[e-mail] (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews

There are a great number of bird species in Africa. A species-by-species account would take hundreds of pages. Although such volumes do exist, they are often very expensive. In this book, husband and wife naturalists Chris & Tilde Stuart have presented a beautifully illustrated introduction to Africa's bird diversity which is both affordable and informative. The book is neither a field guide nor an academic tome. The authors have divided the book into several chapters, each one on a group of birds that share similar general characteristics--penguins and terns are in the seabird chapter, and hornbills and marabou storks are in another. Within each chapter, the birds are subdivided into families, which adds a nice systematic touch to the book. The text includes details on natural history and biology--I would like to have seen more biological detail and inclusion of more species, but as previously mentioned, the book is intended as an introduction to the birds of Africa, not as an in-depth treatment. Although the text is useful, perhaps the best part of the book is the spectacular colour photographs that adorn every page. The Stuarts' are renowned wildlife photographers, and their talent shines through. For what it sets out to accomplish, Birds of Africa succeeds admirably.