About the Book
Mount Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti Plains, tropical beaches, coral reefs, and such wildlife as elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, and rhinos. With all this, Kenya and northern Tanzania are the ultimate destination for safaris, adventure travel, and ecotourism. They also form one of the world's most spectacular regions for birdwatching, with a variety of species unmatched almost anywhere else--from the tiny Amani Sunbird to the eight-foot-tall Somali Ostrich, from the elegant flamingos of the Rift Valley lakes to carcass-eating vultures and snake-hunting eagles. This book is the definitive field guide for the thousands of birdwatchers and travelers who visit this breathtaking area every year. The guide features 124 color plates, depicting all 1,114 species in the area, including variations by subspecies, age, and sex. It contains over 800 range maps and succinct text that covers identification, voice, and distribution. Specially designed for use in the field, it is a compact version of the widely acclaimed Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania, hailed on its publication in 1996 as the most comprehensive, accurate, and beautiful guide ever produced for the region.
With its modest price, small trim size and sturdy, weather-resistant binding, this field guide is the one volume that every adventurous traveler to Kenya and northern Tanzania must have.
Table of Contents:
PREFACE 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 6 INTRODUCTION 7 THE SPECIES ACCOUNTS 7 ILLUSTRATIONS 8 PLATE CAPTION NOTES 9 DISTRIBUTION MAPS 9 HABITAT TERMINOLOGY 9 TAXONOMY AND SCIENTIFIC NOMENCLATURE 10 ENGLISH NAMES 11 ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE TEXT AND PLATE CAPTIONS 11 TERMS RELATING TO BIRD IDENTIFICATION 12 COLOR PLATES 19 THE SPECIES ACCOUNTS 269 Ostriches, STRUTHIONIDAE 269 Grebes, PODICIPEDIDAE 269 Albatrosses, DIOMEDEIDAE 270 Petrels and Shearwaters, PROCELLARIIDAE 271 Storm-petrels, HYDROBATIDAE 273 Tropicbirds, PHAETHONTIDAE 274 Pelicans, PELECANIDAE 274 Boobies, SULIDAE 275 Cormorants, PHALACROCORACIDAE 276 Darters, ANHINGIDAE 276 Frigatebirds, FREGATIDAE 277 Shoebill, BALAENICIPITIDAE 277 Herons and Bifterns, ARDEIDAE 277 Hamerkop, SCOPIDAE 282 Storks, CICONIIDAE 282 Ibises and Spoonbills, THRESKIORNITHIDAE 284 Flamingos, PHOENICOPTERIDAE 286 Ducks and Geese, ANATIDAE 286 Secretary Bird, SAGITTARIIDAE 292 Vultures, Hawks, Buzzards, Eagles and Osprey, ACCIPITRIDAE 293 Falcons, FALCONIDAE 309 Quail and Fraincolins, PHASIANIDAE 314 Guineafowl, NUMIDIDAE 319 Button-quail and Quail-plover, TURNICIDAE 320 Rails, RALLIDAE 321 Cranes, GRUIDAE 325 Finfoot, HELIORNITHIDAE 326 Bustards, OTIDIDAE 326 jacanas, JACANIDAE 329 Painted-snipe, ROSTRATULIDAE 329 Crab-plover, DROMADIDAE 330 Oystercatchers, HAEMATOPODIDAE 330 Stilts and Avocets, RECURVEROSTRIDAE 330 Thick-knees, BURHINIDAE 331 Coursers and Pratincoles, GLAREOLIDAE 332 Plovers, CHARADRIIDAE 335 Sandpipers, SCOLOPACfDAE 340 Skuas, STERCORARIIDAE 348 Gulls and Terns, LARIDAE 349 Skimmers, RYNCHOPIDAE 357 Sandgrouse, PTEROCLIDAE 357 Pigeons and Doves, COLUMBIDAE 359 Parrots and Lovebirds, PSITTACIDAE 363 Turacos, MUSOPHAGIDAE 364 Cuckoos and Coucals, CUCULIDAE 366 Barn Owls and Grass Owls, TYTONIDAE 372 Typical Owls, STRIGIDAE 372 Nightjars, CAPRIMULGIDAE 376 Swifts, APODIDAE 382 Mousebirds, COUIDAE 385 Trogons, TROGONFDAE 386 Kingfishers, ALCEDINIDAE 387 Bee-eaters, MEROPIDAE 389 Rollers, CORACIIDAE 393 Hoopoe, UPUPIDAE 394 Wood-hoopoes and Scimitarbills, PHOENICULIDAF 395 Hornbills, BUCEROTIDAE 397 Barbets and Tinkerbirds, CAPITONIDAE 400 Honeyguides, INDICATORIDAE 406 Woodpeckers and Wrynecks, PICIDAE 408 Broadbills, EURYLAIMfDAE 412 Pittas, PITTIDAE 412 Larks, ALAUDIDAE 413 Wagtails, Pipits and Longclaws, MOTACILLIDAE 419 Swallows and Martins, HIRUNDINIDAE 424 Bulbuls, PYCNONOTIDAE 428 Babblers, Chatterers and Illadopses, TIMALIIDAE 435 Thrushes and Chats, TURDIDAE 439 flycatchers, MUSCICAPIDAE 453 Warblers, SYLVIIDAE 457 White-eyes, ZOSTEROPIDAE 482 Tits, PARIDAE 484 Penduline Tits, REMIZIDAE 485 Creepers, CERTHHDAE 486 Monarch Flycatchers, MONARCHIDAE 486 Batises and Wattle-eyes, PLATYSTEIRIDAE 488 Helmet-shrikes, PRIONOPIDAE 492 Shrikes, LANHDAE 494 Bush-shrikes, MALACONOTIDAE 497 cuckoo-shrikes, CAMPEPHAGfDAE 504 Drongos, DICRURIDAE 505 Orioles, ORIOLIDAE 506 Crows, CORVIDAE 508 Starlings and Oxpeckers, STURNIDAE 509 Sunbirds, NECTARINIIDAE 516 Sparrows and Petronias, PASSERIDAE 527 Weavers, PLOCEIDAE 528 Waxbills, ESTRILDIDAE 549 Seedeaters and Canaries, FRINGILLIDAE 559 Old World Buntings, EMBERIZIDAE 562 INDEX 564
About the Author :
Dale A. Zimmerman is Professor Emeritus of Biology, Western New Mexico University. He has visited Kenya annually since 1961. Donald A. Turner has lived in Kenya since 1959 and, since 1977, has served as Secretary of the Ornithological Sub-Committee of the East African Natural History Society. David J. Pearson taught at Nairobi University from 1970 to 1990 and was Chairman of the Ornithological Sub-Committee of the East African Natural History Society during the same period.
Review :
"More than just the definitive guide to East African Birds, this is a beautiful book--a 'must have' especially if you contemplate a journey to see these birds in the feather."--Audubon Naturalist News "This book provides us with plates that not only address the most difficult identification problems but also delight us as works of art."--Birding "This is one of the premier birding destinations on the planet, and this guide is indispensable for anyone birding the region... [A]nyone going on a wildlife or birding safari in East Africa should have this beautifully illustrated and meticulously researched Field Guide Edition... Most highly recommended."--Dan R. Kunkle, Wildlife Activist
