This is the first comprehensive field guide dealing exclusively with the birds of this spetacular region. It covers all resident, migrant and vagrant species found in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. Over 1300 species are illustrated with full details all the plumages and major races likely to be encountered. Concise text describes identification, status, range, habits and voice with range maps for each species. This authoritative book will not only be an indispensable guide to the visiting birder, but also a vital tool for those engaged in work to conserve and study the avifauna of this region. East Africa shelters a remarkable diversity of birds, many seriously endangered with small and vulnerable ranges. They form a constantly colourful, noisy and highly extrovert part of the landscape.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Book Description
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
For birders with an interest in the region and those planning a trip, look no further. With the publication of this guide we have distilled into one book all the good elements of what has gone before but better. . . . The plates are the book's tour de force and are simply outstanding. . . . This is by far the best and most exciting guide available for anywhere in Africa. (Ken Arber Surfbirds.com )
The illustrations in this guide are of a very high standard and show the detail needed for field identification whilst remaining of an artistic quality that makes the book an attractive object as well as a useful one. . . . The brief descriptions are excellent and the language fresh and punchy. . . . A very fine field-guide indeed and sets a new standard for regional African guides. (Fatbirder.com )
As soon as you open the book, you'll realise that the standard of artwork is exceptional. The text is also of an unusually high standard. . . . If you are planning a trip to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda or Burundi this is now unquestionably the most valuable book you can buy. And if you aren't yet planning a trip there this is the perfect book to get you dreaming. (Birdguides.com )
If East Africa is in your dreams, this should fill the bill. (Charles E. Keller Indiana Audubon Quarterly ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
The illustrations in this guide are of a very high standard and show the detail needed for field identification whilst remaining of an artistic quality that makes the book an attractive object as well as a useful one. . . . The brief descriptions are excellent and the language fresh and punchy. . . . A very fine field-guide indeed and sets a new standard for regional African guides. (Fatbirder.com )
As soon as you open the book, you'll realise that the standard of artwork is exceptional. The text is also of an unusually high standard. . . . If you are planning a trip to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda or Burundi this is now unquestionably the most valuable book you can buy. And if you aren't yet planning a trip there this is the perfect book to get you dreaming. (Birdguides.com )
If East Africa is in your dreams, this should fill the bill. (Charles E. Keller Indiana Audubon Quarterly ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Between them the authors have 40 years of experience leading bird tous and conducting conservation work in the region.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
Endemic to Africa, ostriches are huge flightless birds with small wings, massive legs and two large forward pointing toes. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Endemic to Africa, ostriches are huge flightless birds with small wings, massive legs and two large forward pointing toes. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
103 of 103 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
There are four main field guides to East Africa's avifauna. The oldest, the Collins Guide to the Birds of East Africa, is annoyingly spartan with its pictures, forcing the reader to identify birds via the text. In any case, not all of East Africa's birds are illustrated. Bird distribution is described in the text, and not via more simple to use maps. It was with precisely these shortcomings in mind that Van Berlow set out to illustrate every bird in East Africa (in this case, Somalia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania). His volume, The Birds of East Africa, does indeed contain a full set of plates, and provides extensive distribution maps. The pictures, however, are often small and difficult to discern, and the maps, all located in the back of the guide, accessible only via a rather complicated plate and species number system. The third contender, Zimmerman et al.'s excellent Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania falls short of requirement - in this case - because of its limited geographical range (through no fault of its own!). Another concern is the location of its distribution maps all placed in the text, often well away from the illustration of the bird. When standing in the field with a small and unremarkable avian in front of you, having to flick between illustration and distribution map is increadibly annoying, particularly when the bird then flies off.
Stevenson and Fanshaw's new volume is the fourth guidebook to enter this market and is by far the best. The illustrations are clear, distinct and beautifully detailed; distribution maps (covering Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi) are located alongside each illustration, as is a short and succinct description, so no faffing about between illustration and text. The volume's hard cover makes it an excellent companion on tough birding safaris. I could not recommend this volume more warmly.
54 of 54 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
I've bought several field guides to the birds of this region and this is by far and away the easiest to use for identifying your encounters on travels in East Africa. The plates are clear, with illustrations of male/female and immature variants. Also the description/narrative lies on the page facing the illustrations - this may sound obvious - but it isn't obvious to those who designed the page layout of the Collins field guide. The Collins has the plates on the centre pages and the narratives at the front and back of the book - this layout makes flicking through in the space of time your bird will sit still quite a challenge! Most of us don't have that kind of time, and would prefer to focus on the bird through our "bins", rather than keep our head in the book looking up several different page references.
I only have one criticism of this Stevenson & Fanshawe guide and that is that the goshawk illustrations somehow show the bird with v short legs, when the long legs are one of the key features you notice when you stumble across one.
I know this guide is more expensive than some of its competitors, but it is worth it.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By Iain Thomas
Format:Hardcover
This field guide is superb and an enormous improvement on the other guides of the area that fall short with poor illustrations, less extensive geographical coverage and/or inadequate text. Critically it brings together in one place excellent illustrations, good maps and most importantly very detailed text. I found the text carefully crafted enabling even members of some of the more difficult groups (e.g. bulbuls and allies) to be relatively easily identified with clear notes to key field marks. It is a pleasure to use for extended periods in the field. My only suggestion for improvement would be to add a few more reference points to the maps.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 35 reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
!!
What a magnificent book -my daughter and her hubby live in Rwanda and often see beautiful birds in their garden
-the book is loaded with exotic wildlife and the extremely... Read more
-the book is loaded with exotic wildlife and the extremely... Read more
Published 27 days ago by Fenman
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good book
Informative book which is a good size for travelling to Africa. Weight is so important as when on safari the weight limit in the light aircraft used is rigourously enforced, as we... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Kizzy
4.0 out of 5 stars
Birds of East Africa (Helm Guide)
A very comprehensive, well written and illustrated guide book. Unfortunately, it is a little heavy to carry around but, with the number of birds included, that is to be expected.
Published 11 months ago by Pilbeaml
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very good book
This book was very helpful on my trip to Tanzania.
Well illustreted and useful in all aspects.
I identified 120 species of birds in eight days - many of them thanks to... Read more
Well illustreted and useful in all aspects.
I identified 120 species of birds in eight days - many of them thanks to... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Steen Engelbøl
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book
Have just returned from 3 weeks in Uganda. This book is very good indeed, though pretty heavy to carry. But in spite of that I still give it 5 stars. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Frankie Joyce
5.0 out of 5 stars
Is perfection possible?
This is without doubt the perfect field guide for a birding holiday in East Africa.Comprehensive text is set conveniently opposite excellent illustrations. Read more
Published 20 months ago by John Wright
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant!!!
Loved this book. Had my honeymoon in Kenya and buying this was the best decision I made (after getting married).
Published 22 months ago by Jamie Regan
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is the one you need
At last, we have a great bird guide to East Africa. The pictures are just excellent, which has been the main problem with guides to this region before. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Stephen Vaughan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Birds of East Africa. Helm Field Guides
This book is a must for any serious ornithologist travelling in East Africa. It is comprehensive and therefore on the large size but I managed well while pack-packing. Read more
Published on 3 April 2011 by Giles Knowles
5.0 out of 5 stars
great
..just like the other sensible reviewers say - great drawings, good layout, useful maps, quite heavy. The paperback cover is a bit thin but it's still a brilliant book
Published on 3 Jan 2011 by lazybirder
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
