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Helm Regional Guides

The books on this page are guides to the birds of specific regions or countries around the world. They are listed by publication date with the most recent at the top of the page.


There are a number of Helm pages on the site

Family ID Guides

Regional ID Guides

Photographic Guides

County Avifaunas

Where To Watch Birds (GB)

Where To Watch Birds (World)

Other Helm publications

 

Birds of Venezuela

David Ascanio, Gustavo Rodriguez, Robin Restall

Helm Field Guides

Bloomsbury Publishing

2017

"Covering the sixth largest avifauna in the world, this important new guide is essential for anyone exploring the diverse habitats of this beautiful South American country as well as Guyana, northern Brazil and west Suriname. Birds of Venezuela - complete with authoritative text and superb colour plates - will ensure that this top birding destination is made accessible to all. This field guide has 248 colour plates illustrating more than 1,400 species, covering racial, sexual and seasonal plumage variations. Accompanying text is placed on facing pages for easy reference providing key information, voice and status of all species and subspecies found in the region, including Venezuela's 45 endemic species. Detailed colour distribution maps are provided for every species."

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Birds of Nepal

Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp, Tim Inskipp, Hem Sagar Baral

2nd edition

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2016

"This fully updated edition of Birds of Nepal is the most comprehensive guide to the birds of this beautiful Himalayan country. The texts have been completely re-written for this edition and many of the illustrations have been replaced. In addition, maps have been included for the first time. Every species recorded in Nepal is covered, including vagrants, with accurate distribution maps for most species. 142 colour plates are featured, illustrating more than 790 species with text on facing pages for quick and easy reference. The comprehensive text covers identification, voice, habits, habitats, altitudinal range, distribution and status."

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Birds of Borneo

Susan Myers

Illustrations: Richard Allen, Hilary Burn, Clive Byers, Daniel Cole, John Cox, Anthony Disley, Alan Harris, Szabolcs Kókay, Mike Langman, Ian Lewington, Andrew MacKay, Stephen Message, Christopher Schmidt, Jan Wilczur, Tim Worfolk

2nd edition

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2016

"Birds of Borneo is the first comprehensive guide to the varied avifauna of this island biodiversity hotspot, which comprises the tiny state of Brunei, the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, and the Indonesian state of Kalimantan. More than 630 bird species have been recorded on Borneo and, using the most up-to-date taxonomy and nomenclature, this guide includes all recently split species and also gives full coverage of distinctive Bornean races where they differ from their counterparts on neighbouring islands or in mainland South-east Asia. Borneo is of particular ecological significance; the unique combination of its tropical latitude and the relief of the land, which includes high mountains and rainforests, has created many isolated micro-habitats which have enabled a remarkable number of different species of birds to evolve, many of which are endemic to the island. Every species recorded is described in detail with key identification characteristics and habitat information given, plus a colour distribution map."

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Birds of Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands

Frank Hawkins, Roger Safford, Adrian Skerrett

Illustrations: John Gale, Brian Small

Helm Field Guides

Bloomsbury Publishing / Christopher Helm

2015

"This new field guide in the Helm Field Guides series covers the whole of the Malagasy region, which comprises the unique island of Madagascar and the various islands and archipelagos of the Indian Ocean including the Seychelles, Comoros and Mascarenes (Mauritius, Réunion and Rodrigues). Every resident and migrant species is covered in full detail with a colour distibution map for each species. Vagrants are also treated in detail, but without maps. All species are illustrated on a beautiful series of 124 colour plates, with artwork from John Gale and Brian Small. Conveniently, the plates have been arranged so that all the key species of the various archipelagos are placed together in sections. This is a major work of reference on the birds of the region and will remain the standard text for many years to come."

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Birds of South-East Asia

Craig Robson

Concise edition

Helm Field Guides

Bloomsbury Publishing

2015

This is a reprint of the book first published by New Holland as Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia.

"The up-to-date text covers the identification, voice, habitat, behaviour and range of all the 1270 species and distinctive subspecies of this magnificent bird-rich region. The authoritative text is accompanied by 142 full-colour plates painted by a range of expert artists and covering major plumage variations. The guide has no distribution maps, distribution is indicated in each species account simply by mentioning the name of the country, and, using abbreviations, the rarity of the bird and whether it's a resident, vagrant etc. Birds of South-East Asia: Concise Edition is a complete field and reference guide to the birds of Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. It also covers a wide range of species found in the Indian subcontinent, China, Taiwan, Sumatra, Java, Bali, Borneo and the Philippines."

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Birds of Western Africa

Nik Borrow and Ron Demey

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2nd edition

2014

Text and plates are same as Princeton publication below

"Birds of Western Africa (Helm, 2001) was the first single-volume guide to cover all the species of this region, which comprises 23 countries from Senegal and southern Mauritania east to Chad and the Central African Republic, and south to Congo. This new edition uses all of the plates from Birds of Western Africa, with a concise, authoritative text on facing pages, to create a conveniently-sized, lightweight field reference covering all 1300 species found in the region. The book also has updated colour distribution maps for each species placed on the text pages for the first time. A number of new images have been painted for this new edition and several of the illustrations have been replaced. This major new guide will enable birders to identify any species found in any of the countries covered."

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A Field Guide To The Birds of South-East Asia

Craig Robson

Christopher Helm

Second edition (reissue of 2008 edition)

2014

"This is the first-time flexi-cover edition of this classic field guide, which is the definitive volume on the region's birdlife. This award-winning book, which was first published in 2000, was fully updated in 2009 to include 76 new species for the region that were recent new discoveries for science, taxonomic 'splits' or had been recorded there for the first time. This comprehensive field guide to the birds of South-East Asia covers all of the 1,327 species recorded in the region and each has been fully illustrated. This edition has many new artworks and 16 more colour plates than the original guide, and the text has been meticulously updated to take in all the most recent information. The vast diversity of South-East Asian birdlife attracts increasing numbers of birdwatchers each year. Covering Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Peninsular Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, this unique and indispensable guide covers in detail the identification, voice, breeding, status, habitat and distribution of all the species and distinctive subspecies of the region."

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Birds of Costa Rica

Richard Garrigues, Robert Dean

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2nd edition

2014

This book was published in the US by Cornell University Press.

" The principal objective of this book is to help you correctly identify birds in Costa Rica. Each family of birds is introduced by a brief description that should help the novice birder determine to which group a bird belongs. Nearly every species is illustrated by one or more images, as needed. Corresponding to each species' illustration is a written account on the facing page. The account begins with the unique field marks to look for that will distinguish each species from similar ones. Following the description is information about status, distribution and vocalisation. Most species accounts include a a map showing the distribution within Costa Rica. This new edition features 903 species in total, including 64 that are illustrated here for the first time. The 174 colour plates include 360 new images from artist Robert Dean. The text and maps have been fully updated to ensure that this guide is the definitive field guide for anyone visiting Costa Rica."

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The Helm Guide to Bird Identification: An In-Depth Look at Confusion Species

Keith Vinicombe

Illustrations: Alan Harris, Laurel Tucker

Christopher Helm

2014

"This book covers difficult identification issues by looking at tricky species pairs or groups of birds, and comparing and contrasting their respective features. Designed as a field companion, it supplements the standard field guides and provides much additional information. As well as detailed texts, the books include extensive illustrations of all relevant ages and plumages of the species concerned."

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The Birds of Africa, Volume VIII: The Malagasy Region

Editors: Roger Safford, Frank Hawkins

Illustrations: John Gale, Brian Small

Christopher Helm

2013

"The Birds of Africa series, volumes I–VII, covered the avifauna of continental Africa. This volume fulfils the aspiration, expressed in that series, of a single volume that treats the birds of Madagascar, Seychelles, the Comoros, the Mascarenes and their associated smaller outlying islands – the Malagasy region. It follows The Birds of Africa series in treating each of the 352 regularly occurring species known from the region in detail, through the assembly of a wealth of information, much of it very recent. Distribution, description, identification, general behaviour, feeding and breeding habits are comprehensively covered, by a roster of the key experts on the birds of the region. All 135 vagrant species are also treated, more briefly, and for the first time the distribution of species across the region is presented in a series of detailed and informative maps. Each species is also extensively illustrated, showing variation in plumage across ages, sexes and geographic regions. One plate illustrates species that have recently become extinct in the region, and a separate plate section covers vagrants."

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A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad & Tobago

Richard Ffrench

Artist/Art coordinator: John P. O'Neill

Christopher Helm

2nd edition

2013

"Revised edition of this classic field guide to the avifauna of these two Caribbean islands. Trinidad and Tobago are special in that nearly all the families of South American birds are well represented there. They can therefore offer the richness of the South American avifauna in a comparatively small area. This guide covers over 400 species, giving habitat and status, range, subspecies, field description, voice, food, breeding and behaviour. In addition there are sections on the history of ornithology on the islands, the islands' habitats and species distribution."

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Birds of Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan

Raffael Ayé, Manuel Schweizer & Tobias Roth

Illustrations: Per Alström, Adam Bowley, Carl D'Silva, Kim Franklin, John Gale, Alan Harris, Ren Hathway, Christopher Schmidt, Brian Small, Jan Wilczur, Tim Worfolk, Martin Woodcock

Christopher Helm

2012

"Birds of Central Asia is the first field guide to include the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, along with neighbouring Afghanistan. This vast area includes a diverse variety of habitats, and the avifauna is similarly broad, from sandgrouse, ground jays and larks on the vast steppe and semi-desert to a broad range of raptors, and from woodland species such as warblers and nuthatches to a suite of montane species, such as snowcocks, accentors and snowfinches. Birds of Central Asia includes 141 high-quality plates covering every species (and all distinctive races) that occur in the region, along with concise text focusing on identification and accurate colour maps. Important introductory sections introduce the land and its birds. Birds of Central Asia is a must-read for any birder or traveller visting this remote region."

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Birds of Sri Lanka

Deepal Warakagoda, Carol Inskipp, Tim Inskipp, Richard Grimmett

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2012

" With a rich avifauna of more than 350 species that includes 29 endemics, the island of Sri Lanka is one of southern Asia's most popular birding destination. This new field guide provides full coverage of every species on the Sri Lanka list, including most vagrants, with particular emphasis placed on endemic species and races. Detailed text highlights key identification criteria, along with accurate colour maps. Packed with spectacular and detailed plates by leading bird artists such as Alan Harris, Tim Worfolk and John Cox, "Birds of Sri Lanka" is the definitive identification tool for the visiting birdwatcher and another majestic addition to the Helm Field Guides series."

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Birds of Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire

Bart de Boer, Eric Newton & Robin Restall

Helm Field Guides

A & C Black / Helm

2012

"The Netherlands Antilles comprises three main islands off the coast of northern Venezuela. These are Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire . They are major tourist destinations, especially popular with divers, and also attract many visitors from Holland and elsewhere. The colour plates are based on the bestselling Birds of Northern South America, but many new images have been painted specially for this book. The authoritative text highlights the key features needed to identify each species in the field, and the plates illustrate every distinct plumage and race."

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Birds of Australia

Ken Simpson and Nicholas Day

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm / Bloomsbury

8th edition

2012

" This is the completely revised eighth edition of Australia's best-selling field guide, with close to 600,000 copies sold. In 132 color plates of remarkable beauty and precision, Nicolas Day captures the details of all 780 of Australia's birds. Succinct text by Ken Simpson and other experts gives key points of identification for every species, as well as information about the birds' abundance and patterns of movement. Detailed color distribution maps accompany the species text. This updated edition includes three replacement plates, eleven additional rare species, taxonomic revisions, and additional color as well as black-and-white illustrations. "The Vagrant Bird Bulletin" contains illustrations and a map for all rare species. A useful breeding summary for every species gives immediate information regarding their annual breeding cycles. All readers, whether beginning or experienced birdwatchers, ornithologists, students, or travelers, will find "Birds of Australia" an unrivaled companion for discovering the unique birdlife of this remarkable continent."

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Birds of the Indian Subcontinent

Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp

Illustrations: Clive Byers, Daniel Cole, John Cox, Gerald Driessens, Carl D'Silva, Martin Elliott, Kim Franklin, Alan Harris, Peter Hayman, Craig Robson, Jan Wilczur, Tim Worfolk

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2nd edition

2011

"This new field guide is based on the authors' groundbreaking Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (1998) and covers all the bird species found in India, Pakistian, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the Maldives. The plates face the descriptions and maps for quick at-a-glance reference. Many of the plates have been repainted for this edition and a number of new species added. This guide also provides tables, summarising identification features of particularly difficult groups such as nightjars, warblers and rosefinches."

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Birds of The Horn of Africa: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Socotra

Ian Sinclair and Peter Ryan

Chistopher Helm

2nd edition

2011

" The Horn of Africa has the highest endemism of any region in Africa, and around 70 species are found nowhere else in the world. Many of these are confined to the isolated highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea, but a large number of larks specialise in the arid parts of Somalia and adjoining eastern Ethiopia, whilst the island of Socotra has its own suite of endemic species. The region is also an important migration route and wintering site for many Palearctic birds. This is the first field guide to the birds of this fascinating region, and a companion to Birds of East Africa by two of the same authors. Over 200 magnificent plates by John Gale and Brian Small illustrate every species that has ever occurred in the five countries covered by the guide, and the succinct text covers the key identification criteria. Special attention is paid to the voices of the species, and over 1000 up-to-date colour distribution maps are included. This long-awaited guide is a much-needed addition to the literature on African birds and an essential companion for birders visiting the region."

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Birds of the United Arab Emirates

Simon Aspinall and Richard Porter

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2nd edition

2011

"The UAE is an increasingly popular tourist destination, with a good infrastructure for visitors. This new field guide is based on the bestselling Birds of the Middle East (2nd edition) and covers all the birds of these Gulf states. The new text written by Simon Aspinall and Richard Porter is specific to the Gulf, and new maps are provided for all breeding birds and regular visitors. The plates are recomposed from Birds of the Middle East, with three extra plates of introduced species."

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Birds of Melanesia: Bismarcks, Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia

Guy Dutson

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2011

"This new Helm Field Guide covers the species-rich Melanesia region of the south-west Pacific, from New Caledonia and the Solomons through the Bismarcks to Vanuatu, an increasingly popular destination for tours and travellers and one that has never before had complete field-guide coverage. The cover star is the Kagu, the region's most iconic bird species and a highly sought-after endemic of New Caledonia. Superb colour plates illustrate the 650 species that occur in the region, allied with concise identification text and a series of distribution colour bars. For anyone travelling to this far-flung Pacific region, this book is indispensable."

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Birds of Seychelles

Adrian Skerrett and Tony Disley

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2nd edition

2011

"This compact field guide, based on Birds of Seychelles by Adrian Skerrett, Ian Bullock and Tony Disley (Helm 2000), is the only field guide to cover every species recorded in Seychelles. It covers more than 250 species, including all residents, migrants and vagrants. Concise text on facing pages highlights key identification features, including habitat, distribution, status and voice. The plates are based on the authors' previous work, but with the addition on many new images. The text has been completely re-written and revised for this edition, and the plates are been re-worked to accommodate a number of new additions to the country's list. There are now 12 more plates than in the first edition."

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Birds of Trinidad and Tobago

Martyn Kenefick, Robin Restall and Floyd Hayes

Christopher Helm

2nd edition

2011

" Trinidad & Tobago are popular tourist destinations and the islands are also a top location for visiting birders. This comprehensive and portable field guide covers every species found on the islands. The concise text includes descriptions of every species, highlighting plumage variation and distinctions from similar species. The plates use the relevant images from Birds of Northern South America to create new plates specific for Trinidad & Tobago. This new edition has been completely revised. The plates have been extensively re-worked, with many images replaced and repainted. As a result, there are now eight extra plates, and some groups, such as flycatchers, have been repainted almost in entirety. The text has also been updated. This new edition supersedes all previous field guides to these popular islands."

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Birds of Senegal and The Gambia

Nik Borrow and Ron Demey

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2011

"This new field guide covers The Gambia, a country which is very popular with a large number of birders and tourists, and the whole of neighbouring Senegal. This fascinating region shelters many Western Palearctic migrants from September to April, as well as a significant list of resident West African birds. The stunning colour plates depict more than 680 species, covering almost every distinct plumage and race. The authoritative text highlights the key features needed to identify each species in the field, and accurate up-to-date maps are provided for every species."

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Birds of Ghana

Nik Borrow and Ron Demey

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2010

"Ghana is one of the safest and most accessible countries in Western Africa and is rapidly becoming a top tourist destination. This dedicated country field guide uses illustrations from the acclaimed Birds of Western Africa, which have been recomposed into a new set of plates, with new text and maps specific to Ghana. The result is a compact and up-to-date guide to all the birds of Ghana."

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Birds of the Middle East

Richard Porter and Simon Aspinall

Illustrations: John Gale, Mike Langman, Brian Small

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2010

"This is a completely revised second edition of the bestselling field guide to the birds of the Middle East. For the first time, the text and maps appear opposite the plates, and as a consequence there are fewer species per plate than before. The text and maps have been fully revised and many new artworks have been painted. There are more than 100 new species in this new edition, which features more than 810 species in total. It will be the essential field guide for anyone visiting the Middle East."

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South American Passerines

Robert S. Ridgely & Guy Tudor

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2009

"This is a single-volume guide to South American passerines, based on a two-volume work first published in 1989 and 1994. For the new edition, the text has been condensed, most of the missing species that were not illustrated before have now been painted, and brand new maps have been compiled for every species. This is a major identification guide to the songbirds of South America. No other single volume guide exists for passerines (though there is a single-volume guide for non-passerines from Collins). There are still large areas of South America without a comprehensive field guide, so this book will become essential for anyone birding in these areas (e.g. Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay)."

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Birds of Pakistan

Richard Grimmett, Tom Roberts and Tim Inskipp

Illustrations: Clive Byers, Daniel Cole, John Cox, Gerald Driessens, Carl D'Silva, Martin Elliott, Kim Franklin, Alan Harris, Peter Hayman, Craig Robson, Jan Wilczur, Tim Worfolk

Helm Field Guides

Yale University Press / Helm

2009

"This guide is a successor to the much acclaimed Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by two of the same authors. Covering Pakistan, the superb plates are accompanied by a succinct text highlighting identification, voice, habitat, altitudinal range, distribution and status. The text is on facing pages to the plates, for easy reference and there are distribution maps for every species. Like previous guides covering Nepal, Bhutan, Northern India and Southern India, this guide is a perfect size for use in the field and will be an essential companion when visiting this region."

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Birds of The Horn of Africa: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Socotra

Ian Sinclair and Peter Ryan

Chistopher Helm

2009

"The Horn of Africa has the highest endemism of any region in Africa, and around 70 species are found nowhere else in the world. Many of these are confined to the isolated highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea, but a large number of larks specialise in the arid parts of Somalia and adjoining eastern Ethiopia, whilst the island of Socotra has its own suite of endemic species. The region is also an important migration route and wintering site for many Palearctic birds. This is the first field guide to the birds of this fascinating region, and a companion to Birds of East Africa by two of the same authors. Over 200 magnificent plates by John Gale and Brian Small illustrate every species that has ever occurred in the five countries covered by the guide, and the succinct text covers the key identification criteria. Special attention is paid to the voices of the species, and over 1000 up-to-date colour distribution maps are included."

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Birds of Nepal

Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

Possibly a reprint of the 2000 edition

2009

"Provides all the information required to identify every species recorded in Nepal. Over 780 species are illustrated in colour and the text covers identification, voice, habitat, altitudinal range, distribution and status. A detailed introduction contains information on birdwatching and conservation in Nepal."

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Birds of East Asia: China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and Russia

Mark Brazil

Illustrations: Per Alström, Carl D'Silva, Martin Elliott, Kim Franklin, Alan Harris, Ren Hathway, Hans Larsson, Dave Nurney, Derek Onley, Christopher Schmidt, Brian Small, Laurel Tucker, Tim Worfolk, Bill Zetterstrom

Christopher Helm

2008

"This is the first single volume guide ever devoted to the eastern Asian avifauna. The eastern Asian region, centring especially on the major islands off the continental coast (including Japan and Taiwan) and the immediately adjacent areas of the Asian continent from Kamchatka in the north and including the Korean Peninsula are an important centre of endemism. Birds endemic to this region include representatives of many of the major families, from the world's largest eagle - Steller's Sea Eagle - to the tiny Formosan Firecrest. The east Asian continental coast and the offshore islands also form one of the world's major international bird migration routes, especially for waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors, while the east Asian continental mainland itself is home to a wide range of species little known to western ornithologists such as Scaly-sided Merganser, Oriental Stork and Mugimaki Flycatcher. The guide features the most up-to-date text available, which, in conjunction with extensive colour plates throughout, facilitates the field identification of all of the species known from the region. Colour distribution maps enhance the text by providing a visual analysis of the summer, winter and migratory ranges of all species."

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Birds of Trinidad and Tobago

Martyn Kenefick, Robin Restall and Floyd Hayes

Christopher Helm

2008

"This brand new field guide uses the relevant images from Birds of Northern South America to create new plates specific for Trinidad and Tobago. The text is new and has been written specifically to assist in the field identification of every species that occurs on Trinidad."

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Birds of Peru

T.S. Schulenberg, D.F. Stotz, D.F. Lane, J.P. O'Neill and T.A. Parker

Christopher Helm

2007

"With over 1800 species, Peru has the second richest avifauna of any country in the world. As a consequence it is one of the most popular birding destinations in South America. This will be the first comprehensive and fully illustrated field guide to the birds of Peru. Text is arranged opposite the plates, in conventional field guide manner. The combination of authoritative text and superb artwork will set new standards for South American field guides."

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Birds of Costa Rica

Richard Garriques

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2007

"Graced with bounteous natural beauty Costa Rica has become a popular destination for travelers from all over the world. Birds play a prominent role in attracting visitors, too. The shimmering quetzals, gaudy macaws, and comical toucans that populate tourism posters only begin to hint at the impressive avian diversity to be found throughout this small country. The principle objective of this book is to help you correctly identify birds in Costa Rica. Each family of birds is introduced by a brief description that should help the novice birder determine to which group a bird belongs. Nearly every species is illustrated by one or more images, as needed. Corresponding to each species' illustration is a written account on the facing page. The account begins with the unique field marks to look for that will distinguish each species from similar ones. Following the description of unique markings is information about how common a species is and where it occurs geographically. To the left of most accounts is a thumbnail map of Costa Rica showing the species' range within the country. Many species accounts include a description of vocalization."

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Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Volume 2: Passerines

David R Wells

With contributions from Philip D. Round and Uthai Treesucon

Illustrations: John Gale, Dana Gardner, Kamol Komolphalin, Brian Small

Christopher Helm

2007

"This well-illustrated volume covers the passerines of Singapore, peninsular Malaysia, southern Thailand and the tip of Tenasserim (Burma) with their associated island archipelagos. David Wells' historically complete accounts draw on a full range of recent field and museum research. Over 380 species are described, including topics such as systematics, distribution, plumage, biometrics, status, habitat, food and foraging, voice, behaviour, breeding biology, moult and conservation. Along with an accompanying volume, on nonpasserine species, it brings together the most complete modern summery of field survey work and other research on all the birds found in the peninsula."

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Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Volume 1: Non-Passerines

David R Wells

With contributions from Philip D. Round and Uthai Treesucon

Illustrations: Philip Burton, David Digby, Dana Gardner, Peter Hayman, Ian lewington, David Quinn, Chris Rose

Christopher Helm

2007

"In this modern handbook you'll find over 380 non-passerine species described in meticulous detail using data derived from field and museum research, as well as an immense range of information from little known or previously unpublished sources. Seventy spectacular full-colour plates feature portraits of many species covered in the book, providing a beautiful pictorial reference from some of the world's leading artists. The book is also fully referenced to a bibliography of over 800 sources."

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A Field Guide to the Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti

S. Latta, J. Wiley, C. Rimmer, H. Raffaele, A. Keith, K. McFarland and E. Fernandez

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2006

"The Dominican Republic and Haiti make up the island of Hispaniola, which is the second largest island in the West Indies, after Cuba. The Dominican Republic is a popular destination as there are several endemics on the island, one of which, the Palm Chat, is in its own unique family. In this book, all 302 species known to have occurred on the island are described and illustrated and information on the biology and ecology of the birds is also given. This is the only comprehensive field guide devoted to the birds of Hispaniola, providing new information from the authors' personal research on the biology and ecology of the island's avifauna. This is a valuable addition to the literature of the West Indies."

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

Robin Restall, Clemencia Rodner and Miguel Lentino

Helm Field Guides

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.

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Birds of Northern South America, Volume 2

Robin Restall, Clemencia Rodner and Miguel Lentino

Helm Field Guides

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.

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A Field Guide to the Birds of the Atlantic Islands: Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cape Verde

Tony Clarke, Chris Orgill and Tony Disley

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2006

"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 Macaronesia which comprises the Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores and Cape Verde. Over 450 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."

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Birds of the Gambia and Senegal

Clive Barlow, Tim Wacher and Tony Disley

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2005 (2nd ed.)

"This is the standard field guide to one of the world's most popular and impressive birding regions. It is illustrated with 48 stunning colour plates, depicting each species in all its plumages. These plates are supplemented by useful line drawings and figures. The concise text has been exhaustively researched, and reflects the considerable field experience of the authors. It includes essential information on field identification, as well as voice, behaviour, habitat and distribution. The introduction provides an overview of the region's history, geography and ecology. The clear layout and practical format make this book ideal for use in the field."

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Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania

Dale A. Zimmerman, Donald A. Turner and David J. Pearson

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2005 (orig pub 2001)

This field guide is an abridged edition of the successful Helm Identification Guide, "Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania". It covers all 1089 bird species known from the region, including vagrants. This book combines the format and detailed treatment of the larger version with the convenience of a field guide. All the species are illustrated with full details of all the plumages and major races likely to be encountered. Concise text describes identification, status, range, habits and voice with range maps for nearly every species.

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Birds of Southern India

Richard Grimmett and Tim Inskipp

Illustrations: Clive Byers, Daniel Cole, John Cox, Gerald Driessens, Carl D'Silva, Martin Elliott, Kim Franklin, Alan Harris, Peter Hayman, Craig Robson, Jan Wilczur, Tim Worfolk

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2005

"This guide is a successor to the much acclaimed Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by the same authors. Covering southern India, the superb plates are accompanied by a succinct text highlighting identification, voice, habitat, altitudinal range, distribution and status. The text is on facing pages to the plates, for easy reference. Like previous guides covering Bhutan, Northern India and Nepal, this guide is a perfect size for use in the field and will be an essential companion when visiting this region."

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East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi

Terry Stevenson and John Fanshawe

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2004

"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."

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Birds of the Middle East

Richard Porter, S Christensen and P Schiermacker-Hansen

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2004

"This guide covers all the species, including vagrants, found in the Arabian peninsula (including Socotra), Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Cyprus. Over 700 species are described in concise text with full details of pulmage and voice. Distribution maps appear opposite the plates and are annotated with each species' status and preferred habitat. 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."

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Birds of Western Africa

Nik Borrow and Ron Demey

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2004

"This field guide utilises all the plates from Birds of Western Africa: An Identification Guide by the same authors, with a concise, authoritative text on facing pages, to create a lightweight guide covering all 1285 species found in the region. The guide also contains an updated colour distribution map for each species and a number of new images have been painted just for this guide."

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Birds of Bhutan

Carol Inskipp, Tim Inskipp and Richard Grimmett

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

Revised edition

2004

"Major contribution to the ornithology of the Himalayan region and the first detailed guide to cover the birds of Bhutan exclusively. Covering 555 species and with stunning colour plates, this is a concise and informative guide covering identification, voice, habitat, altitudinal range, distribution and status. It was sponsored by the Worldwide Fund for Nature, which is testament to its importance in the long-term conservation of the country's birds."

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Field Guide To The Birds of Australia

Ken Simpson and Nicholas Day

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

7th edition

2004

"Seventh edition of this standard reference for the birds of Australia. There are 20 new colour plates, and a new distribution map for each species showing subspecies distribution where appropriate. Over 1000 black and white illustrations, many new or redrawn , illustrate behaviours, flight silhouettes, detailed comparisons between related species and other useful identification pointers. Texts have all been considered, revised, rewritten and rearranged to offer better sequencing and standardisation."

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Birds of Belize

H. Lee Jones

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2004

"Central America is a wonderful birding area, supporting a rich and diverse avifauna. Belize is one of its more accessible and tourist-friendly countries, beginning to rival Costa Rica as the most popular Central American birding destination of all. This guide to the birds of Belize includes colour distribution maps indicating the range of breeding and visiting species. Introductory chapters present an overview of Belize's general ecology and information about visiting and birding there. The text covers all identification criteria, and colour plates and illustrations by Dana Gardner cover 573 species."

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Birds of the West Indies

Herbert Raffaele, James Wiley, Orlando Garrido, Allan Keith and Janis Raffaele

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2003

A field guide to all 564 species known to occur in the West Indies. This guide uses the plates from the earlier Helm Identification Guide "Birds of the West Indies", with concise text on facing pages covering all aspects of field identification. Aimed at experienced birders and interested laypersons alike, this guide is a lightweight and easy-to-use field guide to the spectacular West Indian avifauna.

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Birds of Northern India

Richard Grimmett and Tim Inskipp

Illustrations: Clive Byers, Daniel Cole, John Cox, Gerald Driessens, Carl D'Silva, Martin Elliott, Kim Franklin, Alan Harris, Peter Hayman, Craig Robson, Jan Wilczur, Tim Worfolk

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2003

"A successor to "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", by the same authors, this handbook explores the birdlife of northern India and Pakistan. The plates are accompanied by text that highlights the identification, voice, habitat, altitudinal range, distribution and status of the birds. The text is on pages facing the plates for easy reference, and there are distribution maps for every species."

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Birds of Chile

Alvaro Jaramillo, Peter Burke and David Beadle

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2003

"This is a field guide covering all species occurring in the country of Chile. Chile holds a great diversity of habitat types, from the Andes in the north down to the tundra and sub-Antarctic rainforest of Tierra del Fuego in the far south. Chile supports an interesting range of breeding and visiting birds, including nine species found nowhere else in the world. This guide features concise, identification-focused text positioned opposite the colour plates to allow quick and easy reference. Detailed distribution maps are provided for every species, completing the essential field guide to the birds of this spectacular and tourist-friendly country."

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Birds of Trinidad and Tobago

R Ffrench

Illustrations: John P. O'Neill and Don R. Eckleberry

Christopher Helm

2nd edition

2003

"A guide to the richest area for birdlife in the Caribbean where nearly all South American birds can be found. It covers the history of ornithology in the islands, the bird's different habitats and status, range and subspecies, field description, food, nesting and behaviour."

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Birds of Venezuela

Steven L Hilty

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2002

"A field handbook covering one of the most bird-rich countries in the world - Venezuela. Over 1300 species are described and illustrated in the work, which is a completely reworked new edition of the Princeton title "A Guide to the Birds of Venezuela", first published in 1978. The text of that book has been replaced with a new text by another author. Of the 67 plates, 27 are new, and the volume as a whole is over twice the length of its predecessor. Unlike the earlier title, this guide includes a distribution map for every species, using shading for wide-ranging species and locality dots for rarer birds."

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Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania

Dale A. Zimmerman, Donald A. Turner and David J. Pearson

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2002

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Birds of Western Africa

Nick Borrow

Helm Identification Guides

Christopher Helm

2002

"This major new handbook covers 1282 species which occur in the western countries of Africa. The countries covered are Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Rio Muni, Gabon, Congo, Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, part of Mauritania and the islands of Sao Tome, Principe, and Bioko (Fernando Po). It is the only field guide available which covers the region's birds in detail and provides colour illustrations of all the species described. The book is illustrated with 142 colour plates which cover all the species described apart from a few vagrants (which are depicted in black and white within the text). Distribution maps are provided for the majority of species."

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The Birds of Ecuador, Volume 2: Field Guide

Robert Ridgely and Paul J Greenfield

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2001

"These widely anticipated volumes comprehensively treat the nearly 1600 species of birds that can be found in mainland Ecuador. Volume 2: Field Guide contains 96 full-colour plates and facing pages of descriptive text, a colour map of Ecuador, 2 line drawings of bird anatomy, 115 silhouette outlines and nearly 1600 distribution maps. All species are illustrated in full colour, including migrants and vagrants and visually distinctive subspecies. The text focuses on the field indentification aspects of each species, including their behaviour, vocalisations and nest appearance."

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The Birds of Ecuador, Volume 1: Status, Distribution and Taxonomy

Robert Ridgely and Paul J Greenfield

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2001

"These widely anticipated volumes comprehensively treat the nearly 1600 species of birds that can be found in mainland Ecuador. Volume 1: Status, Distribution and Taxonomy contains detailed information on the ecology, status and distribution of all species. Introductory chapters deal with geography, climate and vegetation; bird migration in Ecuador, Ecuadorian ornithology, endemic bird areas in Ecuador and conservation. Individual species accounts treat habitat, distribution and taxonomy."

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Birds of Seychelles

Adrian Skerrett, Ian Bullock and Tony Disley

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2001

"A guide to 242 species of birds in Seychelles illustrated in colour including 26 endemics. Information on the islands' geography, climate and birdwatching sites is also included in the introduction."

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Birds of Cuba

Orlando H Garrido and Arturo Kirkconnell

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2000

"The first field guide solely dedicated to the largest island in the Caribbean. All Cuba's 350 species are illustrated in colour including the 21 endemics and most vagrants. The text is concise and covers species description, similar species, range, status, habitat, voice, and food."

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Birds of Nepal

Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2000

"This is a field guide to 760 species of bird found in Nepal, which is one of the most popular trekking destinations in the world. It offers plates with text on facing pages for at-a-glance reference and covers identification, voice, habitat, altitudinal range, distribution and status."

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Birds of the Czech Republic

Josef Kren

Christopher Helm

2000

"This is a review of the Czech Republic's avifauna, with information on the 394 species recorded since 1800 which includes an overview of the ecology and geography of the country, bird habitats, climate, bird protection and bird areas. Thorough species accounts follow, providing information on each bird's general biology, status and distribution, breeding and winter densities, timing of occurrence and population trends. Each account is accompanied by a distribution map. The book also contains a section on the best birdwatching sites, with access maps and species. To complete the coverage there are checklists for the Czech Republic and Slovakia."

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Birds of the Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia

Chris Doughty, Nicolas Day and Andrew Plant

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

1999

"Situated in the Southwest Pacific, this region boasts a colourful and intriguing range of birds. Of the 362 species covered, 117 are endemics. The colour plates in this guide which is primarily intended for field use depict every species, showing plumages, races and colour morphs, and there are 340 colour distribution maps. The facing-page layout, with colour plates opposite the relevant species descriptions, makes at-a-glance reference easy for anyone interested in the birdlife of the Pacific."

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Pocket Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent

Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp

Christopher Helm

1999 (reprint 2001)

"This is a pocket version companion to "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent" covering all the bird species found in India, Pakistian, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the Maldives. The plates face the descriptions for quick at-a glance reference. This guide provides tables, summarising identification features of particularly difficult groups such as nightjars, warblers and rosefinches."

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Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania

Dale A. Zimmerman, Donald A. Turner and David J. Pearson

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

1999

"Designed for use in the field, this is a portable version of "Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania" in the "Helm, Identification Guide" series. It depicts every species recorded in the region and each is accompanied by facing text pages highlighting the key identification features."

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Birds of Bhutan

Carol Inskipp, Tim Inskipp and Richard Grimmett

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

1999

"A guide to the ornithology of Bhutan, a country of great physical beauty and, unusually, one with much of its primary forest intact. It covers all 555 species regularly recorded in the country and includes a list of vagrants."

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Birds of the West Indies

Herbert Raffaele

Principal illustrators: Tracy Pedersen and Kristin Williams

Helm Identification Guides

Christopher Helm

1998

An identification guide that covers the 563 species known to occur in the West Indies. The individual species accounts include all aspects of identification and local names for the bird. A distribution map is provided for each species. There are 86 colour plates covering all species and geographical variations. A checklist provides an island-by-island guide to distribution and status.

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Birds of the Indian Subcontinent

Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp

Helm Identification Guides

Christopher Helm

1998

"A definitive guide to the birds of India, with over one thousand three hundred species listed. The text is accompanied by colour illustrations and line drawings, with notes on identification, habits, and distribution maps for each species."

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Birds of Greece

George Handrinos and T Akriotis

Christopher Helm

1997

"A detailed avifauna of Greece and its islands, providing information on the status and distribution of over 420 species - every species recorded in the country, including residents and migrants. In addition to the species accounts there are numerous line illustrations, by Stephen Message, and distribution maps for all species."

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Birds of Hungary

Gerard Gorman

Christopher Helm

1996

"For a comparatively small country, Hungary has a wide variety of habitats and many interesting and ornithologically important species, including Great Bustard, Imperial Eagle and Aquatic Warbler. This book covers 363 different species of bird, with detailed information on their status and distribution within the country. Each species is accompanied by a map. Hungary is becoming a popular destination for birdwatching and this guide is aimed at all visitors and people interested in Western Palearctic birds."

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Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania

Dale Zimmerman

Helm Identification Guides

Christopher Helm

1996

A comprehensive field guide to the region. Describes and illustrates over 1,300 species that have been recorded in Kenya and Northern Tanzania. The individual species accounts include full identification notes and a distribution map.

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A Guide to the Birds of the Galapagos Islands

Isabel Castro and Antonia Phillips

Christopher Helm

1996

"The Galapagos Islands are renowned for their wildlife and the pioneering work undertaken by Charles Darwin in formulating his theories of natural selection and speciation. This guide covers and illustrates all the bird species to have been recorded on the islands."

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A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago

R Ffrench

Christopher Helm

1992 (2nd ed)

"A guide to the richest area for birdlife in the Caribbean where nearly all South American birds can be found. It covers the history of ornithology in the islands, the bird's different habitats and status, range and subspecies, field description, food, nesting and behaviour."

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A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica

F.G. Stiles and Alexander F. Skutch

Christopher Helm

1991

"This book covers waterbirds and migrants as well as resident tropical species, and its treatment of such topics as plumages, vocalizations, food habits, nesting and distribution make it a comprehensive single-volume guide to the 830 species of birds in Costa Rica."

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The Birds of Japan

Mark Brazil

Christopher Helm

1991

"The first comprehensive review of the status and distribution of Japanese birds since 1953. Illustrated by Masayuki Yabuuchi. It incorporates extensive research into the English and Japanese literature from 1700-1989, and is the first book to include a bibliography on Japanese ornithology. Covering all Japanese territories, it covers 583 species, with colour plates of the endemic species and line drawings of the east Asian specialities. As well as background information there are details of Japan's ten best birding sites."

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A Guide to the Birds of Nepal

Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp

Christopher Helm

1991 (2nd ed.)

"Provides information on the 836 bird species found in Nepal. Breeding, habitat, behaviour and range are all covered in detail with special emphasis being given to the Himalayas. The book also contains data on those species whose breeding behaviour is little known."

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The Birds Of Israel

Uzi Paz

Photographs: Yossi Eshbol

Christopher Helm

1985

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Birds of the Mediterranean and Alps

Lars Jonsson

Editor: Iain Robertson & Mark Beaman

Croom Helm

1982

"This is the fifth book in the series covering a variety of habitat and natural environments in Europe. This book focuses mainly on the European countries found along the Mediterranean, but a few birds found only around Turkey and southwards are included, such as the Black-headed (aka, White-spectacled) Bulbul. Not all birds found near the Mediterranean are included. To keep the size of the book smaller, the author included a selection of 160 birds typically not found in the northern parts of Europe."

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Last updated August 2013