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Product Description
This field guide is dedicated to Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean. It provides a brief and informative summary of what is known about the birds of Cuba, making it useful for birders and tourists alike.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Cuba has a number of endemics and near-endemics, so a comprehensive field guide is a must for any visiting birder. Unfortunately since publication, four birds described as sub-species in the book have been elevated to full species status. This is not a flaw, just unfortunate timing, so for Common Black Hawk, read Cuban Black Hawk, for Greater Antillean Nightjar read Cuban Nightjar and for Black-cowled Oriole, you've guessed it, Cuban Oriole. Grey-headed Quail Dove keeps that name.
The layout. Yuck. Illustration and description on the same page. Pretty much all standard works observe this convention. It is easier on the book. Failing that, for goodness sake tell us which page the description is on when we're looking at the picture.
I found some of the illustrations rather bland and cannot understand why each page of illustrations has a shadow page to its left, with the species name. Seems like a waste of paper and ink.
If you're used to European field guides, you're unlikely to be impressed, but if you want to identify Cuban species, then buy this book anyway.
The layout. Yuck. Illustration and description on the same page. Pretty much all standard works observe this convention. It is easier on the book. Failing that, for goodness sake tell us which page the description is on when we're looking at the picture.
I found some of the illustrations rather bland and cannot understand why each page of illustrations has a shadow page to its left, with the species name. Seems like a waste of paper and ink.
If you're used to European field guides, you're unlikely to be impressed, but if you want to identify Cuban species, then buy this book anyway.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having used the excellent Helm Field Guide to The Birds of Costa Rica (Garrigues & Dean),I was looking forward to this Helm product.But,Oh dear!!
Firstly,I must say that the illustrations are superb,and the descriptions and the location maps are very useful. However,the layout ( or lack of it ) makes this book a serious contender for the most excentric bird guide of the year award!
Unlike the Costa Rica guide,where the descriptions and distributions are directly opposite the illustrations,here they are totally separated.Worse still,there is no cross-reference on the illustration page to the descriptions.One has to either thumb through the descriptions,or go to the index at the back for your most likely candidate bird.-not an easy task while trying to observe your bird.
A frequent birder in Cuba has told me that some of the regional guides are often more useful.
However,you may feel that you must have the Garrido guide;he is after all the acknowledged expert on the country.
In that case you may be advised to take advantage of another curious feature of the guide,which is the page opposite the illustrations.This contains nothing other than grey outlines of the birds and the names.A rather wasted page.However,you can use the space to record your own cross referencing and description and distribution notes .Good luck!
A final excentricity,this must be one of the rare " field guides " to include birds that are described as extinct?
Helm! Before you issue a guide under your name you should pay serious attention to the layout!!
A "field guide" must be practical to use in the field !
Firstly,I must say that the illustrations are superb,and the descriptions and the location maps are very useful. However,the layout ( or lack of it ) makes this book a serious contender for the most excentric bird guide of the year award!
Unlike the Costa Rica guide,where the descriptions and distributions are directly opposite the illustrations,here they are totally separated.Worse still,there is no cross-reference on the illustration page to the descriptions.One has to either thumb through the descriptions,or go to the index at the back for your most likely candidate bird.-not an easy task while trying to observe your bird.
A frequent birder in Cuba has told me that some of the regional guides are often more useful.
However,you may feel that you must have the Garrido guide;he is after all the acknowledged expert on the country.
In that case you may be advised to take advantage of another curious feature of the guide,which is the page opposite the illustrations.This contains nothing other than grey outlines of the birds and the names.A rather wasted page.However,you can use the space to record your own cross referencing and description and distribution notes .Good luck!
A final excentricity,this must be one of the rare " field guides " to include birds that are described as extinct?
Helm! Before you issue a guide under your name you should pay serious attention to the layout!!
A "field guide" must be practical to use in the field !
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The contents both the illustrations and the text are good. The problem is the illustrations are printed on high quality paper in one section whilst the text is printed on standard paper in a different section. This was the normal way of printing illustrated books but it now seem very dated.
Once I got used to the layout I did not find it that difficult to use. Most of the description are in the same order as the plates, but for some reason a few are not.
The overall content is good once you get past the layout. We used three guides on our trip, none had seen the book before but they were all impressed with it. As with lots of things I think getting a copy in Cuba would be difficult, best to buy before you go.
The cover is a bit flimsy for field use, I wish I had cover it before we went to Cuba.
Once I got used to the layout I did not find it that difficult to use. Most of the description are in the same order as the plates, but for some reason a few are not.
The overall content is good once you get past the layout. We used three guides on our trip, none had seen the book before but they were all impressed with it. As with lots of things I think getting a copy in Cuba would be difficult, best to buy before you go.
The cover is a bit flimsy for field use, I wish I had cover it before we went to Cuba.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Excellent
After visiting Cuba and taking several bird walk, this is fantastic to gather information and knowing what else i could have seen.
In Cuba they dont have the book... Read more
In Cuba they dont have the book... Read more
Published 13 months ago by brunovo
Best of one!
Just returned from a birding trip to Cuba and everyone in the party had this book, which is not surpising as it appears to be the only one! Read more
Published on 25 Feb 2010 by J. N. Tait
Listmania!
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