Field Guide to Birds of the Horn of Africa: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia and Socotra(Helm Field Guides)

The definitive guide to the birds of Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia The Horn of Africa has the highest endemism of any region in Africa, and around 70 species are found nowhere else in the world. Many of these are confined to the isolated highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea, but a large number of larks and other grassland birds specialise in the arid parts of Somalia and adjoining eastern Ethiopia. The region is also an important migration route and wintering site for many Palearctic birds. This book is the perfect guide to the birds of the region; it also includes the remote Yemeni archipelago of Socotra in its coverage, which boasts a suite of endemics. More than 200 magnificent plates by John Gale and Brian Small illustrate every species that has ever occurred in the region. Succinct text covers the key identification criteria., with special attention is paid to the voices of the species, and more than 1000 accurate colour distribution maps are included. This comprehensive field guide is an essential companion for any birdwatcher visiting the Horn of Africa.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Acknowledgements How to use this book: - The plates - Species accounts - Abbreviations - Maps - Taxonomy and nomenclature Bird identification: - Learning to identify birds - Individual variation - Moult Bird topography Glossary Geography, climates and habitats Important bird areas Organisations and websites Species accounts Checklist of the birds of the Horn of Africa Appendix 1: Species endemic to the Horn of Africa Appendix 2: Hypothetical species Appendix 3: Large white-headed gulls References and further reading Index Quick index to the main groups of birds

About the Author :
Nigel Redman is a lifelong birder and an experienced tour leader and bird guide. Over more than four decades he has led around 200 bird tours, and visited more than 90 countries on all seven continents. Nigel has field experience of around half of the bird species of the world, but has a particular interest in the Horn of Africa, a region he has visited many times in search of birds. Terry Stevenson and John Fanshawe are leading experts on the birdlife of Africa. Between them they have more than 50 years experience in leading bird tours and conducting conservation work in the region. Terry and John are the authors of the Helm Field Guides Birds of East Africa and co-authors of Birds of Greater Southern Africa.

Review :
This guide is a truly fantastic piece of art and science. The first edition opened the doors to birding in the Horn of Africa, and this updated version represents a significant improvement on what will surely be the standard-bearing guide to the birds of this region for the foreseeable future. It is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in the birds of Africa generally, and is indispensable for anyone with an interest in birds who is planning a trip to the Horn. This book goes a long way to helping clear up some of the ID mists that have blurred the vision of visiting birders in the past … For those of us who have been going there for many years, this gem of a book is a real breath of fresh air. Even if you own the first edition, with so many improvements the second edition of Birds of the Horn of Africa is worth owning if you are particularly interested in the avifauna of Africa. If you are going to visit Ethiopia, or any of the other countries covered by this guide, it would certainly be worthwhile taking this newer edition. This is an outstanding field guide. This field guide to birds of northeast Africa and will hopefully encourage more birding trips and research to a truly amazing place.