I have had the good fortune to see an advanced copy of this book and discuss it with the principal author, Hugh Chittenden. It is a huge improvement on the commonly-used Newman, especially in the colour plates and in geographical distribution maps. Also, it is more comfortable to use in size when compared with the rival Sasol publication which it also outperforms in content. I suspect that a second edition with even better plates will emerge in a couple of years. The major criticism made by some of this work is the changing of the traditional "order" of birds in the book with which we have become familiar and dependent on. Hugh Chittenden explains this with the valid observation that new Far Eastern books have adopted this order on the basis of recent DNA and other scientific argument and it was assumed that the US would follow suit on the basis of being championed by Sibley Snr. For us mere birders the decision is simple. Do we buy this fine book, a much needed very cut-down version of Roberts 7, and learn to live with the new order? Or do we save the money and stick with Newman and Sasol? For myself I shall be getting a copy as soon as it becomes available in the UK.
