On this page

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

Guyana

Kirk Smock

Bradt

2nd edition

2011

"Jungle-clad and teeming with exotic wildlife, Guyana is a South American secret begging to be told. With its unique geography of coastal waters, mangroves, marshes, savannas, mountains and tropical rainforests, it's an ideal match for adventure seekers and wildlife enthusiasts. Explore the interior's waterways from a dugout canoe, swim alongside a black caiman - the world's largest alligator, take in Amerindian culture at Surama, or spot one of Guyana's 800-plus birds. Fully updated, Bradt's second edition of Guyana provides all the practical and background information necessary to get the most from your trip - whatever your budget or time constraint."

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.

Birds of Guyana

Robert Fernandes and Balram Singh

2004

"Guyana, the only English speaking country in South America, is bordered by Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname. Over seven hundred species of some of the world's most exotic birds have been recorded in this country's varied tropical habitats. This new guide has divided the birds into five categories - Birds of Prey, Waders, Insect-eaters, Grain and Seed-eaters, and Fruit-eaters. Detailed information on each species is accompanied by a distribution map, which will assist both the expert and the enthusiastic amateur to achieve the best results in bird-watching."

A Field Checklist of the Birds of Guyana

Michael J. Braun, Davis W. Finch, Mark B. Robbins and Brian K. Schmidt

National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution

2000

"This publication presents a comprehensive list of the birds of Guyana with summary information on their habitats, biogeographical affinities, migratory behavior and abundance, in a format suitable for use in the field. It should facilitate field identification, especially when used in conjunction with an illustrated work such as Guide to the Birds of Venezuela (Meyer de Schauensee and Phelps 1978). The list includes 786 species that have been documented as occurring in Guyana. It builds upon the long out-of-print work of Snyder (1966), who listed 720 species. Her list is largely treated as authoritative, but 10 species are removed for lack of concrete documentation. Seventy-four species are added, and an additional 2 species result from 8 taxonomic changes (3 lumps, 5 splits). Species included are those whose occurrence in the country is supported by physical evidence (specimen, photograph, sound recording, or band recovery) or written documentation of a sight record by a reliable, experienced observer."

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."

An Introduction to the Birds of Guyana

Balram Singh

1994

A 37 page guide that covers only a small number of species.

The Birds of Guyana

Dorothy E. Snyder

1994

300 plus pages. Covers over 700 species with a brief description and distribution information.

The Birds Of British Guiana: Based On The Collection Of Frederick Vavasour Mcconnell

Volume II

Charles Chubb

Bernard Quaritch

1921

From the introduction:

"The Itinerary of the Expedition to Mount, Rorainia in 1898, in the present volume, has been written by Mr. J. J. Quelch, who accompanied the late Mr. F. V. McCoonell on that occasion.

.....

Mr. H. Grönvold has, as in the previous volume, prepared the original drawing of each of the coloured plates and of the text figures which have, in the present volume been reproduced by the Sun Engraving Company. It is much to be regretted that, owing to the War and its after effects, the publication of the present volume has been so long delayed. I have pleasure in expressing my best thanks to the following gentlemen for their assistance during the preparation of this volume: - Lord Rothschild, Mr. Percy R. Lowe of the British Museum (Natural History), and Mr. Tom Iredale."

The Birds Of British Guiana: Based On The Collection Of Frederick Vavasour Mcconnell

Volume I

Charles Chubb

10 colour plates (H. Grönvold) and numerous black and white illustrations

Bernard Quaritch

1916

From the preface:

"My husband, Mr. F. V. McConnell, who spent some years in British Guiana, was deeply interested in ornithology, and made a fairly complete collection of the birds of the country. He also made two long excursions into the interior of the Colony, on both occasions visiting the far-famed Mountain Rorainia. For some time previous to his death, he, with the assistance of Mr. Charles Chubb, of the Zoological Department of the British Museum, had been engaged on a catalogue of his collection. Since his death in 1914, wishing, in memory of my husband, to have some record of his work, I decided, instead of simply completing the catalogue, to ask Mr. Chubb to describe all the known birds of British Guiana, based chiefly on this collection. I trust this book will prove useful to other workers in the same branch of natural history. The details of my husband's travels, with photographs of some of the places visited, which I have added, may perhaps give it a wider interest."

Notes on Birds from British Guiana, Part III

Osbert Salvin and F. DuCane Godman

Ibis: Volume 26, Issue 4, pages 443-452

1884

Opening lines:

"In the last number of 'The Ibis' a letter from Mr. Henry Whitely was printed, dated 'Roraima, Oct. 15, 1883,' in which the writer gave a short account of his doings up to that date in the remote part of British Guiana he was then investigating. Towards the end of June last Mr. Whitely returned home, bringing with him his collection, which, as on previous occasions, he kindly submitted to us for examination. It contains specimens of upwards of 240 species, and includes all the birds discovered by Schomburgk in the higher districts investigated by him during his well-known expedition, the types of which have hitherto remained almost unique in the Berlin Museum. Now, owing to Mr. Whitely's enterprise, we have before us a good series of Diglossa major, Setophaga castaneicapilla, Buarremon personatus, Campylopterus hyperythrus, &c., besides a number of other birds not included in Schomburgk's lists. Of these latter we now describe eighteen species, all of which appear to us to be new, some of them being rcmarkable for their beauty and distinctness."

Notes on Birds from British Guiana. Part II

Osbert Salvin and F. DuCane Godman

Ibis: Volume 25, Issue 2, pages 203-212

1883

Opening lines:

"As was stated in our last notice of Mr. Henry Whitely's collections from British Guiana, that enterprising explorer proceeded to the Roraima Mountains, and remained there during the antumn of the year 1881 and the early part of 1882. He then returned to Georgetown, and brought home with him the results of his expedition - a collection containing examples of upwards of 280 species of birds. During his stay at the foot of the Roraima Mountains and in their vicinity Mr. Whitely ascended to an elevation of about 5000 feet, a height still short of that attained by Schomburgk, who reached 7000 feet above the sea. Some of the birds of this higher zone have thus escaped Mr. Whitely's observation, and a few species, such as Diglossa major, Setophaga castaneocapilla, Buarrermon personatus, and Campylopterus hyperythrus are still unrepresented in any museum but that of Berlin, where Schomhurgk's collection remains."

Notes on Birds from British Guiana

Osbert Salvin and F.D. Godman

Ibis: Volume 24, Issue 1, pages 76-84

1882

Opening lines:

"Mr. Henry Whitely, who for some time past has been sending us collections of birds from the neighbourhood of Bartica Grove, in British Guiana, has lately made an excursion further into the interior of the country, and, ascending the Mazaruni river, has penetrated as far as the Merume Mountains, which lie on the south bank of that river, under the 60th degree of west longitude. Here and at a place called Camacusa, lower down on the Mazaruni river, he made a large collection of birds, which reached us in excellent condition a few weeks ago."