The Photographic Guide To Birds Of The World

A state-of-the-art photographic field guide to the world's oceanic birds Oceanic birds are among the most remarkable but least known of all birds, living at sea, far from the sight of most people. They offer unusual identification challenges—many species look similar and it can be difficult to get good views of fast-flying birds from a moving boat. The first field guide to the world's oceanic birds in more than two decades, this exciting and authoritative book draws on decades of firsthand experience on the open seas. It features clear text filled with original insights and new information and more than 2,200 carefully chosen color images that bring the ocean and its remarkable winged inhabitants to life. Never before have oceanic birds been presented in such an accessible and comprehensive way. The introduction discusses the many recent developments in seabird taxonomy, which are incorporated into the species accounts, and these accounts are arranged into groups that aid field identification. Each group and species complex has an introductory overview of its identification challenges, illustrated with clear comparative photos. The text describes flight manner, plumage variation related to age and molt, seasonal occurrence patterns, migration routes, and many other features. The result is an indispensable guide for exploring birding's last great frontier. A comprehensive, authoritative, and accessible guide to oceanic birds Covers more than 270 species Includes more than 2,200 color photos with concise captions noting key features Features careful species comparisons, overviews of the latest taxonomy, tips on how to observe and ID birds at sea, and much more

This beautiful guide depicts over 600 species in almost 700 color photographs, offering detailed descriptions of each bird's voice and habits. Many of the photographs in this magnificent volume appear for the first time and have been carefully selected to show the rarest species.

In this dazzling photo essay, Laman and Scholes present gorgeous full-color photographs of all 39 species of the Birds of Paradise that highlight their unique and extraordinary plumage and mating behavior.

Having trouble separating your scops from your screech owls, Tengmalm's from Tawny Owl or Collared and Spotted Owlets? Then this is the book for you. Owls of the World is the ultimate resource dedicated to the identification of these charismatic, largely nocturnal birds of prey. This enhanced fixed-format of the book contains crisp, fully zoomable photography from dozens of the world's finest natural history photographers, covering all of the world's 268 species of owls. The lavish photos are accompanied by concise text on the identification, habitat, food, distribution and voice of these birds, along with accurate range maps. What makes this e-book indispensible, however, is the inclusion of a definitive and truly comprehensive sound archive – more than 500 songs and calls, covering 90% of all the world's species and including as much subspecific variation as possible. Optimised for tablets, this epic collection of images and sounds represent the definitive work on owls – no birder should be without it!

"Covers all 239 species of woodpeckers. Concise text looks at identification, vocalizations, drumming, habitat, range, food and feeding, taxonomy and confusion species. It is complemented by up-to-date range maps and more than 750 color photographs. The photographic coverage includes most plumages and considerable subspecific variation, making this the definitive work on woodpecker identification."--Back cover.

A comprehensive photographic guide to the world’s gull species With more than 50 gull species in the world, this family of seabirds poses some of the greatest field identification challenges of any bird group: age-related plumage changes, extensive variations within species, frequent hybridization, and complex distribution. Gulls of the World takes on these challenges and is the first book to provide a comprehensive look at these birds. Concise text emphasizes field identification, with in-depth discussion of variations as well as coverage of habitat, status, and distribution. Abundant photographs highlight identification criteria and, crucially, factor in age and subspecific field separation. Informative species accounts are accompanied by detailed color range maps. Gulls of the World is the most authoritative photographic guide to this remarkable bird family. The first book to provide in-depth coverage of all the world's gull species More than 600 stunning color photographs Concise text looks at variations, habitat, status, and distribution Informative species accounts and color range maps

This is the new edition of a popular guide and it is fully updated with all the latest names and recently recognised species. The Himalayas, the world's highest mountain range, are a birdwatcher's paradise. Many of its species are high altitude specialists, including Tibetan and Himalayan Snowcocks, Snow Partridge, Ibisbill, Tibetan Sandgrouse, Hume's Groundpecker, Tibetan Snowfinch and Great Rosefinch. The area comprises a mosaic of different habitats which host a huge range of avian species, with families such as raptors, gamebirds, flycatchers and warblers particularly well represented. 252 of the Himalayas' most interesting and spectacular birds are featured in this concise and easy-to-use guide, and each species is illustrated with a colour photograph which is accompanied by text giving key information on identification, habitat and distribution.

The finest, most lavishly illustrated photographic guide to the birds of eastern North America Combining informative and accessible text, up-to-date maps, and—above all—stunning color photographs, this is the best and most lavishly illustrated photographic guide to the birds of eastern North America. All of the images have been carefully selected to convey both the sheer beauty and the key identification features of each bird, and many of the photos are larger than those found in other guides. Wherever possible, a variety of plumages are pictured, providing visual coverage and usefulness matching any artwork-illustrated field guide. And many of the images are state-of-the-art digital photographs by Brian Small, one of North America's finest bird photographers. These pictures, many seen here for the first time, reproduce a previously unimaginable level of detail. Finally, the ranges of nearly all species are shown on maps from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, the authority on North American birding. New and experienced birders alike will find this guide indispensable: the clear layout will help novices easily identify the birds they see, while the superb photographs will help seasoned birders confirm identifications. The best, most lavishly illustrated photographic guide to the region's birds Larger color photos than most other field guides Fresh contemporary design—clear, easy-to-use, and attractive Informative, accessible, and authoritative text Range maps from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology Covers entire eastern half of mainland North America and the arctic and subarctic territorial islands of the U.S. and Canada

Woodpeckers remain one of the most popular families of birds, and they are certainly one of the more unusual. Their legendary ability to excavate holes in wood is well known, and they are uniquely adapted for living in trees - though a few species have become more adapted to ground-dwelling. The family ranges from the tiny piculets of tropical forests to the mighty Imperial Woodpecker of Mexico, sadly now extinct. In between there is a considerable variety of species, all of a roughly similar shape and design, inhabiting forests and woodlands through the world except Australasia and Antarctica. Covering 239 species, this book is the first definitive photographic guide to woodpeckers. Detailed text looks in detail at the biology of the birds, with particular emphasis on field identification, along with voice, habitat, status, racial variation and distribution. The text is accompanied by a series of high-quality photographs – more than 750 images, carefully selected to highlight identification criteria. Each species entry is completed by an accurate colour range map. A sister to Owls of the World in the Helm Photographic Guides series, Woodpeckers of the World is an informative, fact-filled and beautifully illustrated guide to a group beloved by all birders.