Book Review Birds of the World
By David Alderton – (2012)
512 pages; matt art paper, with 1800 colour illustrations & photos & 3 main maps.
Hard Cover: 22.6cm x 17.5cm.
ISBN: 978-0-7548-2166-3
Lorenz Books, Leicestershire
This book provides a cross section of approximately 1600 species of the main bird groups from across the planet broken down into three major geographical areas. The book is well illustrated with nice colour drawings for individual species and further illustrated with quality colour photos used in the introduction and other opening pages as well as on the introductory page for each of the three main geographical areas presented.
Under each of the three geographic zones, the species that are offered are done so in groups under common names such as ‘Frogmouths and Owls’, ‘Barbets and Tinkerbirds’ etc. Each group has a brief introduction. The material provided for the species that are illustrated is quite detailed and very useful and includes (one of my pet ‘likes’) not only local distribution via a colour shaded illustrated map but also text notes with indications of further global distribution if appropriate.
The opening pages cover history, conservation issues, domestication, classification, habitat threats, and in the back there is a glossary and list of useful birding websites. However, even though I like the concept of this book, I am greatly perturbed by a conspicuous lack of a bibliography and or references.
Books like this are instruments of education and it is impossible to write a book on any subject of natural history (especially as broad as this ‘Birds of the World’) and not need to research and or make reference to other previously published material no matter how knowledgeable anyone may be. I can only guess the lack of a bibliography may have been a strategy of the publisher to assist in keeping productions costs down. This is a pity as it prevents anyone reading this book, interested to research further any of the groups presented, as to where the information offered may have come from.
Rod Rice
Principal Reviewer
Nature & Travel Books