Birds of Southern Africa (Princeton Field Guides) (Paperback)

by Ian Sinclair (Author), Phil Hockey (Author), Warwick Tarboton (Author), Peter Hayman (Illustrator), Norman Arlott (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Review
The 200 colored plates are superb and carefully give attention to the natural variations of plumages with age, sex, and seasons. It is certainly the most comprehensive set of illustrations of South African birds in one volume. -- Review

Review
The 200 colored plates are superb and carefully give attention to the natural variations of plumages with age, sex, and seasons. It is certainly the most comprehensive set of illustrations of South African birds in one volume.
(Choice )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (September 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691096821
• ISBN-13: 978-0691096827
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #36,824 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #26 in	Books > Science > Biological Sciences > Zoology > Ornithology
  #46 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Birdwatching

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely indespensible, January 1, 2006

By	Alexander J. McMahon "Bud" (Sonoma, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is an absolute must for any birder, amateur or expert, who travels in southern Africa. I used it daily on a overland camping trip through South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia. The descriptions of the various species are accurate. The color plates are extremely life-like. The maps and habitat information provided for each bird were very helpful in helping us identify the different subjects. If you have any interest in birding take this book with you on your journey to southern Africa.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Birds of Southern Africa, August 30, 2006

By	Magpie (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

I own all the field guides for this area and the Sinclair book is the best. The illustrations are excellent and the text and range maps are opposite the illustrations making it easy to use in the field. I do question the inclusion of some species where there are only two or three records for the area covered as this makes someone visiting the area go through a lot of alternatives to make an identification. Also better explanation of the summer ranges of certain species would help.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A standard for other field guides, December 11, 2007

By	N. Whiting (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Warning: using this field guide will make you dissatisfied with many other field guides. You will enjoy studying and using this guide.
The illustrations are large and detailed, distinctly more accurate than most guides. In addition most are just beautiful works. They are grouped in species settings with juveniles, alternate plumage, flight and significant field marks highlighted.
On the opposite page: written description, habitat, abundancy status and call descriptions with a range map plus the Afrikaans name.
As an example of the illustrations: the Laughing Dove is illustrated by two flight poses and a profile. The profile has arrows noting 'no hind collar', 'cinnamon back' and 'black-flecked necklace'. The written text notes marks that distinguish this bird from a Cape Turtle-Dove.
The cover is plastic coated and the pages have a lesser water resistant coating.
A lot of attention to detail went into creating this book --colored coded page edges according to bird group, groups of waterbirds and hawks in flight for comparison, a checklist near the index and internet addresses of birding resources in the area.
All this in a work that I carried in a large pants pocket every day.
It just makes me wish such books were available for many more areas.