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The books are arranged by publication date with the most recent at the top of the page.

South American bird books

For bird books about individual South American countries see the pages:

Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
French Guiana
Guyana
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela

Field Guide to the Birds of Colombia

Miles McMullan, Thomas Donegan

2014

"The first edition of "Field Guide to the Birds of Colombia" was published in 2010 by ProAves and was followed by a Spanish version, "Guía de Campo de Las Aves de Colombia" in 2011. These small field books were a new type of product in what was, at the time, a growing but uncertain market, but they proved a surprise success and they also helped to redefine what a field guide for complex tropical avifauna can be. This second edition has been fully updated, revised, expanded and almost entirely re-illustrated. However, the aim remains the same - to produce a comfortable book that fits in your pocket and can be consulted with a single hand; and to strip away the complexity of Colombia's birdlife to offer a simple, accessible and fun tool that anyone can use in the field."

Birdwatching in Colombia

Jurgen Beckers & Pablo Florez

2013

"Birdwatching in Colombia describes in detail the best and most accessible birding sites in Colombia. It covers 127 sites spread across almost every department of the country, including San Andres and Providencia. Eighty-five colour maps make it easy to locate more than 70% of CoIombia's species, including all 73 ofthe country endemics. Birdwatching in Colombia expertly guides birders through the necessary logistics, explaining how to get to each site, where to stay and where to eat. In addition Birdwatching in Colombia is enhanced by 240 full colour photos of birds and birding sites."

Birds in Colombia

Murray Cooper

2013

"Exploring a wealth of incredible winged fauna, this fascinating compendium travels to the tropical setting of Colombia, where many different climates blend to encourage the development of habitats. The country's diverse landscapes are explored along with the rare beauty of its singular birds, showcasing their distinct plumage, colors, various sizes, songs, beaks, and wings. Illustrating how these creatures are currently threatened, this study also highlights the inadequate colonization and urbanization, deforestation, and many other factors that could potentially destroy the habitats of many species, increasing their rates of extinction. Suggestions for defensive and protective actions are included."

Field Guide to the Birds of Colombia

Miles McMullan, Thomas M. Donegan, Alonso Quevedo

2010

"Coinciding with Colombia's 200th anniversary as a republic, the world's most bird-rich nation finally has a new field guide. It brings together original illustrations of all the country's birds, including most plumages variations, many new and even undescribed species, original text and up-to-date maps. Never before have so many species been described and illustrated for a national field guide. The guide features all-new texts, maps and illustrations for all of the birds recorded in Colombia, including offshore islands. Every species is illustrated and all of the non-pelagic species are mapped. Plates are arranged to show illustrations, maps, text, field notes and notes on endemism and threat status side by side in a single information cell. Emphasis is placed on features that will be most useful in the field. The book is more field-friendly than most other national guides for neotropical countries. At 250 pages long and just 12.5 x 21 cm, it is the first genuinely pocket-sized comprehensive field-guide for one of the biggest neotropical avifaunas. All profits from this book will go toward the pioneering conservation work and unrivalled network of protected areas of ProAves in Colombia."

Checklist to the Birds of Colombia

Paul Salaman, Thomas M. Donegan, David Caro

2010

"The 4th edition of the Checklist to the Birds of Colombia contains data on each of the 1,879 bird species that occur in Colombia. The checklist is conveniently in the same compact pocket-size as the Field Guide to the Birds of Colombia and also follows the same sequence and nomenclature to make it easy to switch between the two books. The checklist officially documents the 1,879 bird species that occur in Colombia - more bird species than any other country in the world. This checklist is the culmination of over ten years of research into the status of species in the country."

Birds of Northern South America, Volume 1: Identification, Distribution and Taxonomy

Robin Restall, Clemencia Rodner and Miguel Lentino

Christopher Helm

2006

"This is the first comprehensive identification guide dealing exclusively with the birds of this region. It covers all the species, including vagrants, found in Ecuador, Columbia, Venezuela, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. Over 2,250 species are described in depth in the text, describing geographical variation, identification, status, habitat, voice and taxonomy. 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, which is of such importance to both the indigenous species and those which pass through on migration."

Volume1 comprises in-depth text about the birds of the region.

Birds of Northern South America, Volume 2

Robin Restall, Clemencia Rodner and Miguel Lentino

Christopher Helm

2006

"This is the first comprehensive field guide dealing exclusively with the birds of this region. It covers all the species, including vagrants, found in Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. Over 2,250 species are accurately illustrated with a total of 6,000 images. Concise caption text appears on the plates and distribution maps appear opposite the plates. 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, which is of such importance to both the indigenous species and those which pass through on migration."

Volume2 comprises the plates and minimal concise text required for field guide use.

Areas Importantes Para La Conservacion de Las Aves En Los Andes Tropicales

Editors: K Boyla and A Estrada

BirdLife International / BirdLife Ecuador

2004

"More than 600 researchers contributed to the book, which took eight years to compile. 455 sites are identified, covering 17 percent of the land area of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. A comprehensive introduction covers habitats, protection, threats and other issues. Each site is described in detail, with thumbnail location maps, graphics and data tables . While it serves as an excellent site guide for birders, this is primarily a blueprint for governments and conservationists involved in planning protected area networks. More than half the sites have no protection."

This book is in Spanish with English chapter summaries.

Checklist to the Birds of Colombia

Paul Salaman, Tomas Cuadros, Juan Guillermo Jaramillo, Walter H. Weber

2001

"This work provides a total list of 1865 species that have been recorded from within the republic of Colombia, as of March 2001. The list includes all species from both within the continental boundaries of Colombia and its four islands (San Andres, Providencia, Gorgona and Malpelo)."

Hummingbirds of Colombia

Luis A. Mazariegos

2000

A large format book with 172 colour photographs of 107 species of hummingbirds found in Colombia. Accompanying text includes discussion of hummingbird natural history, evolution of hummingbirds and flowers, biodiversity and conservation.

Checklist of the Birds of Northern South America

Clemencia Rodner, Robin Restall and Miguel Lentino

2000

This checklist, which covers all the species of birds found in Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Trinidad & Tobago, recognizes 2,236 species. For each species, it gives information on subspecies in the region, distribution, altitudinal range, taxonomic notes and references.

Ornithological Gazetteer Of Colombia

Raymond A. Paynter

Second edition

1997

A gazetteer and bibliography.

Birds of the High Andes

Jon Fjeldsa and Niels Krabbe

1990

"The area covered is the temperate and alpine zones of the Andean region, from Venezuela and Colombia in the north, through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, to the southernmost point on the coast of Chile. For each species, there is a full description, including plumage, habits, voices, breeding, habitat selection and range, plus detailed distribution maps. The colour plates depict over two thousand separate plumages in nearly one thousand species and subspecies. In addition there are numerous line drawings showing differential details, postures and nests."

A Guide To The Birds Of Colombia

Stephen L. Hilty and William L. Brown

Princeton University Press

1986

"Describing all of Colombia's birds, Steven Hilty and William Brown bring together information on one of the world's largest avifaunas-nearly 1,700 species. Over half of all the species of birds in South America are included, thus making the book useful in regions adjacent to Colombia, as well as in the country itself. The primary purpose of the work is to enable observers to identify the birds of the region, but it also provides detailed species accounts and will serve as an important handbook and reference volume. Fifty-six lavish color plates, thirteen halftone plates, and ninety-nine line drawings in the text illustrate over 85% of the species, including most of the resident birds. Notes on the facing-page of each place, and range maps of 1,475 species, facilitate identification. Written with the field observer in mind, the text gives special attention to comparisons of similar species, transcriptions of voices, and comments on behavior, status, and habitat. It also provides ranges, breeding data, and references. Notes outline taxonomic problems and briefly describe species that eventually may be found in Colombia. Introductory chapters and photographs highlight Colombia's geography, climate, and vegetation, and discuss migration and conservation questions, and the history of Colombian ornithology. Appendices contain a large bibliography, a section on birding locations, and coverage of two of Colombia's far-flung island territories, Isla San Andrs and Providencia. Maps depicting vegetation zones, political boundaries, national parks, and the most text localities are included."

The Birds of Colombia and Adjacent Areas of South and Central America

R Mayer de Schauensee

Livingston Publishing Co

1964

430 pages with colour and black and white plates.

The Birds of the Republic Of Colombia

R Mayer de Schauensee

1948

430 pages with colour and black and white plates.

The Distribution Of Bird-Life In Colombia; A Contribution To A Biological Survey Of South America

Frank M. Chapman

Bulletin Of The American Museum Of Natural History, Volume XXXVI

1917

On the Birds of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, Colombia (continued)

Osbert Salvin and F. DuCane Godman

Ibis: Volume 22, Issue 2, pages 169-178

1880

Opening lines (continuing earlier paper):

"PIPRA AURICAPILLA, Licht. Minea (2000 ft.), 15th and 18th January, 1879. chalky white." 21st January, 1879. 'Iris brown.' 'Found in the depth of the forest. A very noisy bird frequenting the tops of the highest trees'."

On the Birds of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, Colombia

Osbert Salvin and F. DuCane Godman

Ibis: Volume 22, Issue 1, pages 114-125

1880

Opening lines:

"Since our last paper on this subject was published (Ibis, 1879, p. 196 et seqq.), Mr. Simons has sent us three more collections of birdskins from the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta and its vicinity. As will be seen in the following notes, a considerable proportion of the birds now sent were obtained at a place called Minea, a coffee-hacienda situated on the slopes of the mountains, at an elevation of 2000 feet above the sea, a few leagues from the town of Santa Marta. But besides working in this locality, Mr. Simons also made a journey to the higher parts of the Nevada itself, and succeeded in reaching an elevation of 17,000 feet. Here the more interesting part of his collection was formed."