A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (Comstock books) (Paperback)

by Richard Ffrench (Author), John P. O'Neill (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A visit to Trinidad and Tobago has introduced countless birders to the astonishingly rich South American avifauna. Members of nearly all the families of South American birds can be found in these two beautiful West Indian Islands, where the climate is pleasant and the habitats varied. This easy-to-use book is the second edition of a comprehensive yet compact field guide to more than 420 species of the island's birds. First published in 1973, it has been brought up to date - and a new color plate and redrawn illustrations have been added.

In his introduction, Richard ffrench offers a full treatment of the history of ornithology in Trinidad and Tobago, and then sets the scene by describing the environment of the islands, including physiography, climate, and vegetation. Thirteen photographs depic the variety of habitats found on the islands. The author also details the destribution of species, their breeding and migration, as well as local conservation and protection measures.

Individual species accounts, arranged by family, make up the core of this practical identification guide, covering habtitat and status, range and subspecies, field description and basic measurements, voice, food, nesting, and behavior. They are illustrated by 29 color plates, 9 color portraits, and 24 drawings - the work of two of the foremost artists in Neotropical ornithology. A comprehensive bibliography lists more than 300 titles from the ornithological literature on birds of the area.

This book will be welcomed with enthuasiasm by birders and other naturalists, professional ornithologists, and travelers to the Neotropics.

About the Author
Richard ffrench has pursued his avocation of ornithology since he went to the West Indies in 1955. He is now living again in England and leads ornithological field trips to the Neotropics.

Product Details

• Paperback: 426 pages
• Publisher: Cornell University Press; 2 edition (October 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801497922
• ISBN-13: 978-0801497926
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #832,783 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #17 in

  Books > History > Americas > Caribbean & West Indies > Trinidad and Tobago

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not up to scratch!, November 28, 2001

By	Phil Overton (Milton Keynes, Bucks United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

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!

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best Neotropical bird guides ever written!, July 15, 1999

By A Customer

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...

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars the best reference available on Tobago birds, March 21, 2005

By	Natalie Wright "zoology student" (Gainesville, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.