Birding Cadiz Province
  • Birding Cadiz Province
  • Cadiz Birding Blog Page
  • Six of the best!
    • 1- Laguna de Medina
    • 2 - Tarifa
    • 3 - Sanlucar - Bonanza
    • 4 - Llanos de Libar
    • 5 - Bolonia Area
    • 6 - La Janda
  • Professional Bird Guides
  • Crossbill Guides & other information
  • Other Wildlife
  • Recommended Accommodation
  • Further Information
    • Information: Books, Information Centres & Leaflets
    • Trip Reports
    • Alcala de los Gazules
    • About Me
  • Contact

Europe's Birds - Wildguides - To be Published May 2021

26/11/2020

0 Comments

 
Ever since the publication of the original edition of 'Britain's Birds' by Rob Hume et al I've been banging on about the desirability of a 'European' version.  My pleas were renewed when the much improved second edition of the book appeared (see here) so I'm pleased to hear that publication of what should be a ground breaking guide is now scheduled for 25th May 2021.  With just over 600pp it will be an even heftier tome that the British version but the price is still a reasonable £20 (although pre-publication offers from online booksellers should knock several pounds off the price). Here's the publisher's 'blurb':-   
Picture
Covering more than 900 species, and illustrated with over 3,800 photographs, this is the most comprehensive, authoritative and ambitious single-volume photographic guide to Europe's birds ever produced. Detailed descriptions provide the information necessary to identify the birds of Europe in all their plumages - male, female, breeding, non-breeding, adult and immatures, as well as distinctive subspecies- yet the book is easy-to-use, practical and accessible. Birdwatchers of any ability will benefit from the clear text, details on range, status and habitat, and an unrivalled selection of photographs. Chosen to be as naturalistic and informative as possible, the images are also stunning to look at, making this a beautiful book to enjoy, as well as an up-to-date and essential source of identification knowledge.
The authors include top-class wildlife photographers, writers and editors, and an imaginative, highly skilled designer. All are experienced birdwatchers themselves, who know what is needed and what is useful in an identification guide for birdwatchers living or travelling in Europe.
  • Covers all 914 species ever recorded in Europe, including established introductions
  • Describes all distinctive plumages and subspecies
  • Provides details of vocalizations, flight action and favoured habitats
  • Features more than 3,800 photographs, including comparison pages of birds in flight
  • Includes 540 maps, prepared in association with BirdLife International
  • Enables direct comparison of similar species​

Covering over 900 species in the sort of detail needed to match the original British guide in only a little more than 600 pages seems a very tall order to me. I admit that I was hoping that extreme rarities would be excluded to give more space to birds you are actually likely to see on a European jaunt.  However, Wildguides have a world beating team and you can be sure that whatever compromises necessary (and there are always some) to produce this guide will be well considered and judged.  Naturally, as soon as I get a copy I will review it here. 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    About me ...

    Hi I'm John Cantelo. I've been birding seriously  since the 1960s when I met up with some like minded folks (all of us are still birding!) at Taunton's School in Southampton.  I have lived in Kent , where I taught History and Sociology, since the late 1970s. In that time I've served on the committees of both my local RSPB group and the county ornithological society (KOS).  I have also worked as a part-time field teacher for the RSPB at Dungeness.  Having retired now spend as much time as in Alcala de los Gazules in SW Spain.   When I'm not birding I edit books for the Crossbill Guides series.

    PictureBirding Spanish style - September 2010

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All

    Archives

    November 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    September 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    December 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.