New Titles

 

1) del Hoyo, Josep (Editor). All the Birds of the World. 2020. Lynx Edicions. Hardbound: 967 pages. Price: about $95.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: The easiest and most enjoyable way to browse through all the birds of the world and compare them.

For the first time ever, you can literally contemplate All the Birds of the World together in a single, easy-to-use, fully-illustrated volume. Created for a broad audience, from novice birders to expert ornithologists and anyone interested in the spectacular diversity of birds, this fascinating book has something for everyone to discover.

- Presents every taxon accepted as species by any of the four major world lists: 11,524 species in total.
- Checkboxes for personal record-keeping (the boxes are hard to spot though). 

- 20,865 illustrations covering sexual dimorphism, morphs and many distinctive subspecies.
- 11,558 distribution maps with altitudinal ranges included.
- All 3313 one-country endemic species marked.
- IUCN/BirdLife International conservation status given.
- Taxonomic treatment by the four major world lists indicated and compared.
- Nomenclatural discrepancies explained.
- All English and scientific names from eBird included.
- QR codes for instant access to videos, photos and sound recordings species-by-species.
- All species known to have become extinct since the year 1500 presented separately in their own appendix.
- A 37-page world atlas of colour reference maps with all the details that interest birders and ornithologists.
- The easiest and most enjoyable way to browse through all the birds of the world and compare them.

 

RECOMMENDATION: A must have for anyone with an interest in the World’s birds! The feature I like the most is the “ Taxonomic Circle” which compares the taxonomies of the four major World bird lists.

2) Burgin, Connor J. et al. (editors). Illustrated Checklist of the Mammals of the World. 2020. Lynx Edicions. Hardbound: two volumes in slipcase. Price: about $235.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: The Handbook of the Mammals of the World (HMW) is an unprecedented, lavishly illustrated reference work for the Class Mammalia. This series of 9 large-format volumes describes and illustrates every currently recognized mammal species, and gives a detailed overview of each mammalian family. It provides up-to-date information on the evolutionary relationships, natural history, ecology, and current conservation status for all mammals. Every species is illustrated, and each family chapter contains beautiful colour photographs of mammals in action. HMW provides comprehensive worldwide coverage by involving an international group of expert authors, each of whom is a leading authority on their respective groups of mammals.

It took several years to produce the entire series, and this comprehensive Illustrated Checklist of the Mammals of the World forms a suitable impressive capstone to the series. This latest work updates the taxonomy of each currently recognized species of mammal, providing a complete checklist in a set of two volumes (a set that comes in at 9 kilograms). HMW followed traditionally accepted classifications, based on Mammal Species of the World (Wilson and Reeder, 2005), but with several improvements. The views of the authors, all of them acknowledged authorities on their respective groups, were incorporated into each volume. Each volume considered the description of new species and ongoing systematic revisions that continue to add to our knowledge of the phylogenetic relationships within Mammalia. Ongoing taxonomic work and recent research using new molecular techniques have revolutionized our ability to analyze evolutionary relationships. This has resulted in sweeping changes in the number of species recognized in almost every group of mammals.

The new illustrated checklist incorporates all recently published revisions and combines them into a new, brief species account for every species. In addition to the updated scientific name of each species, the accounts include common names in English, French, German, and Spanish, and the IUCN Red List Conservation Category. Taxonomic notes update recent changes, and updated distributions are included too. If subspecies are recognized, they are updated along with their current distributions. Accompanying each species account is a scientific illustration in full colour, adapted from the earlier volumes, along with an updated distribution map.

If you own the entire set of HMW, you will want to add this latest set of volumes to provide up-to-date coverage of all currently recognized species, including recently described forms. The Illustrated Checklist of the Mammals of the World also works well as a complete, stand-alone summary of the current taxonomy and distribution of every currently recognized species of mammal.

Features:
- 27 orders, 167 families, 1,343 genera, 6,562 species (102 extinct and 18 domesticated).
- Features more than 7,250 illustrations, including 800 new ones of primates and more than 100 of other groups.
- Includes 6,442 distribution maps.

RECOMMENDATION: A must have for anyone with an interest in the World’s mammals!

 

 

 

3) Will, Kip et al.. Field Guide to California Insects: Second Edition. 2020. University of California Press. Paperback: 521 pages. Price: $26.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Beautifully illustrated and approachable, this is the only California-specific, statewide book devoted to all groups of insects.

Completely revised for the first time in over 40 years, Field Guide to California Insects now includes over 600 insect species, each beautifully illustrated with color photographs. Engaging accounts focus on distinguishing features, remarkable aspects of biology, and geographical distribution in the state. An accessible and compact introduction to identifying, understanding, and appreciating these often unfamiliar and fascinating creatures, this guide covers insects that readers are likely to encounter in homes and natural areas, cities and suburbs, rural lands and wilderness. It also addresses exotic and invasive species and their impact on native plants and animals. Field Guide to California Insects remains the definitive portable reference and a captivating read for beginners as well as avid naturalists.

RECOMMENDATION: A must have for anyone with an interest in the insects of California!

 

 

 

4) Pellant, Chris and Helen. Rocks and Minerals. 2020. Princeton University Press. Paperback: 208 pages. Price: $19.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: This detailed and easy-to-use guide contains striking photography of rocks and minerals from around the globe, and is designed to help readers and collectors identify specimens of these compounds, which are formed by geological processes in the earth’s crust. Useful for beginners and serious collectors alike, this handy volume features special color photography of specimens from the Natural History Museum in London, which holds one of the largest collections in the world.

• Beautiful color photographs
• Comprehensive, up-to-date information
• Suitable for serious collectors and those new to the field
• Special photography of unique specimens from the Natural History Museum in London

RECOMMENDATION: A must have for all rock-hounds!

New Titles

 

 

1) Norevik, Gabriel et al.. Ageing & Sexing of Migratory East Asian Passerines. 2020. Avium Förlag. Hardbound: 423 pages. Price: about $124.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: This generously illustrated handbook covers 62 East Asian passerine species, including many that appear as sought-after vagrants in both Europe and North America. It provides a comprehensive and detailed summary of current knowledge, based on data and photographs of birds in the hand, collected during three years of study in China, primarily at Beidaihe, Hebei province.

The texts are presented in a pedagogical manner and, together with an ample collection of over 1,400 photographs, guide the reader through the process of determining the age and sex of the bird in both autumn and spring. This guide is an essential introduction to the subject for bird ringers/banders in China, and it will also prove indispensable for any birdwatcher with an interest in the ageing and sexing of East Asian passerines. This book is bilingual in English and Chinese.

RECOMMENDATION: Birders with a serious interest in Chinese/East Asian birds will want this book! Also, hardcore birders and bird record committee members outside the region will want it as a reference for those species covered.

 

 

 

2) Faaborg, John. Book of Birds: Introduction to Ornithology. 2020. Texas A&M University Press. Hardbound: 455 pages. Price: $65.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: In Book of Birds: Introduction to Ornithology, John Faaborg, renowned expert on avian ecology and conservation, brings a fresh and accessible sensibility to the study of ornithology. In this beautifully illustrated volume, Faaborg’s approachable writing style will engage students and birders alike while introducing them to the study of the evolution, taxonomy, anatomy, physiology, diversity, and behavior of birds. With its unique focus on ecology, the text emphasizes birds’ relationships with the environment and other species while showing the amazing diversity of avian life.

Faaborg pays special attention to the roles that competition, community structure, and reproductive behavior play in the astonishingly varied and interesting lives of birds seen around the world. He discusses variations in anatomy, morphology, and behavior; explains why such vast diversity exists; and explores the ways in which different birds can share the same spaces. Artist Claire Faaborg brings the science behind this diversity to life through her unique, hand-drawn artwork throughout the book.

Combining vibrant visuals and knowledgeable insights, Book of Birds offers readers a firm foundation in the field of ornithology and an invaluable resource for understanding birds from an ecological and evolutionary perspective.

RECOMMENDATION: A readable overview of bird biology.

 

 

3) Kelt, Douglas A. and James L. Patton. A Manual of the Mammalia: An Homage to Lawlor’s “Handbook to the Orders and Families of Living Mammals”. 2020. University of Chicago Press. Hardbound: 340 pages. Price: $60.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: The taxonomy of recent mammals has lately undergone tremendous revision, but it has been decades since the last update to Timothy E. Lawlor’s acclaimed identification guide the Handbook to the Orders and Families of Living Mammals. Integrating the latest advances in research, Douglas A. Kelt and James L. Patton provide this long-overdue update in their new, wholly original work, A Manual of the Mammalia.

Complemented by global range maps, high-resolution photographs of skulls and mandibles by Bill Stone, and the outstanding artwork of Fiona Reid, this book provides an overview of biological attributes of each higher taxon while highlighting key and diagnostic characters needed to identify skulls and skins of all recent mammalian orders and most families. Kelt and Patton also place taxa in their currently understood supra-familial clades, and discuss current challenges in higher mammal taxonomy. Including a comprehensive review of mammalian anatomy to provide a foundation for understanding all characters employed throughout, A Manual of the Mammalia is both a user-friendly handbook for students learning to identify higher mammal taxa and a uniquely comprehensive, up-to-date reference for mammalogists and mammal-lovers from across the globe.

RECOMMENDATION: For those with a technical interest in mammalogy.

 

 

New Titles

 

1) Puan, Chong Leong et al.. Birds of Malaysia. 2020. Lynx/Birdlife International. Flexibound: 416 pages. Price: about $53.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Complementing the plates, maps and species texts, the book’s introduction describes the region’s landscapes, habitats and climate, and provides tips on birding in Malaysia and Singapore, along with brief details of 50 of the best sites to visit. Whether you are planning a comprehensive birding tour of the Peninsula and/or northern Borneo, or only to ‘escape’ for a few days while in Singapore, this new guide covers it all! This book also has over 1825 illustrations covering all species and distinctive subspecies, etc. Plus more than 775 full color range maps.

RECOMMENDATION: A must have for anyone birding Malaysia and Singapore!

2) Elliott, Andrew et al. (compilers). Mammals of South Asia. 2020. Lynx. Paperback: 173 pages. Price: about $33.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: “Mammals of South Asia” covers Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, a region of tremendously diverse habitats and rich in large mammalian species. Whether you are planning a trip to the area or simply want to quickly learn about the 540 species that occur in the zone, this is the book for you!

RECOMMENDATION: A must have for anyone with an interest in the mammals of the region!

 

 

3) Seng, Lim Kim et al.. Birds of Malaysia and Singapore. 2020. Princeton University Press. Paperback: 396 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: This comprehensive field guide looks at all 829 officially recorded bird species of Malaysia and Singapore. More than 165 detailed color plates show plumage variation and identifying features, and for each species, key facts examine size, voice, range and status, habitat, specific country, and breeding. This book also includes information on taxonomy and nomenclature, an overview of geography and major habitats, key birdwatching sites with maps, and easy-to-use graphic indexes. This guide is essential for any naturalist interested in this region of the world.

• Features all 829 bird species of Malaysia and Singapore
• Includes 165 unique color plates
• Highlights facts on size, voice, range, status, habitat, country, and breeding
• Looks at taxonomy and nomenclature, geography, and key birding sites

RECOMMENDATION: When compared with the Lynx title above, this book is a little thicker but smaller, has 396 vs 416 pages respectively, and lacks range maps.

 

 

 

4) Castelló, José R. Felids and Hyenas of the World: Wildcats, Panthers, Lynx, Pumas, Ocelots, Caracals, and Relatives. 2020. Princeton University Press. Paperback: 280 pages. Price: $29.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: From the Leopard Cat of Asia, the Black-footed Cat of Africa, and the Amur Tiger of Siberia to South America’s Ocelots and North America’s Bobcats, the wildcats known as felids are among the most fascinating and spectacular of all animals. This stunningly illustrated book is the most comprehensive and user-friendly guide to the world’s felids and their often misunderstood relative, the hyenas. Covering and illustrating every species and subspecies, the guide features more than 150 superb full-color plates that incorporate more than 600 photographs and show species in similar poses for quick and easy comparison. Drawing on the latest taxonomy and research, the facing-page species accounts provide distribution maps, common and scientific names, and detailed information on key identification features, distribution, behavior, reproduction, similar species, habitat, conservation status, and where to observe each species. An ideal field companion for use anywhere in the world, the book will appeal to both casual nature enthusiasts and seasoned professionals.

• Covers 41 felids and 4 hyenas―every species and subspecies in the world
• Features more than 150 color plates incorporating more than 600 photos
• Depicts species in similar poses for quick and easy comparisons
• Provides key identification information in detailed, facing-page species accounts
• Uses the latest taxonomy
• Includes easy-to-read distribution maps and tips on where to observe each species

RECOMMENDATION: A must have for anyone with an interest in wildcats and/or hyenas!

 

 

 

5) Kirkconnell, Arturo et al.. Photographic Guide to the Birds of Cuba. 2020. Comstock. Paperback: 384 pages. Price: $32.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Containing hundreds of stunning photographs by Yves-Jacques Rey-Millet, A Photographic Guide to the Birds of the Cuba provides full photographic coverage of every species on the Cuban list. Concise text for each species includes identification, similar species, voice, habitats and behavior, status and distribution, along with a map.

This guide is an essential companion for any birder or naturalist visiting this beautiful and bird-rich island. Cuba is now one of the most popular birding destinations in the world. Its rich avifauna includes 25 endemic species, and the island is also home to a range of regional scarcities and an important stopping point for migrants as they cross the Caribbean.

RECOMMENDATION: A must have for anyone birding Cuba!

New Titles

 

1) Paulson, Dennis. American Birding Association Field Guide to Birds of Washington. 2020. Scott & Nix. Flexibound: 350 pages. Price: $24.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Washington is one of the premiere states for birds and birding. Its rugged coastline and expansive forests in the western portion, the towering Cascades, of the central region and the arid eastern valleys, combine to provide excellent and varied habitats for hundreds of types of birds year-round. Washington is home to three magnificent national parks providing some of the best natural wildlife viewing areas in North America. And there are over 100 parks throughout the state, including 19 marine parks and 11 historical parks. Over 350 beautiful color photographs, featuring 300 bird species in natural habitats; clear and concise identification, habitat, and birdsong text; tips on when and where to see species throughout the year; complete Washington bird checklist; detailed map and index, and more. Written by expert Washington birder Dennis Paulson and filled with gorgeous color images by Brian E. Small, the American Birding Association Field Guide to Birds of Washington is the perfect companion for anyone wanting to learn more about the natural history and diversity of the state’s birds and when and where to see them.

RECOMMENDATION: Best for beginning or intermediate level birders.

 

2) Newton, Ian. Uplands and Birds. 2020. William Collins. Paperback: 598 pages. Price: $50.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Ian Newton, author of Farming and Birds and Bird Migration returns to the New Naturalist series with a long awaited look at the uplands and its birds.

     The uplands of Britain are unique landscapes created by grazing animals, primarily livestock. The soils and blanket bogs of the uplands are also the largest stores of carbon in the UK, and 70% of the country’s drinking water comes from the uplands. It’s a significant region, not least to the multitudes of bird species that hunt, forage and nest there.

     Once again, Ian Newton demonstrates his mastery of the subject matter at hand, in this beautifully illustrated, authoritative addition to the New Naturalist series.

RECOMMENDATION: A must have for anyone with an interest in British bird habitats and/or collect the New Naturalist series.

 

 

3) Fairbrother, Vic and Ken Hutchinson. The Ring Ouzel: A View from the North York Moors. 2020. Whittles Publishing. Paperback: 272 pages. Price: $27.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Using vivid extracts from field notebooks and profusely illustrated with photographs as well as paintings and sketches by wildlife artist Jonathan Pomroy, the reader is transported to the beautiful North York Moors National Park. We can share in the excitement as the first Ring Ouzels of the year return from their winter quarters in North Africa, witness their courtship displays, the establishment of territories and the female ouzel painstakingly building her nest and laying her eggs.

     To hear the song of the Ring Ouzel carrying for a surprising distance across the high moorland in the early morning is one of the many delights of upland Britain. The authors have recorded and analysed both simple and complex songs in their study area and, following comparison with recordings from Scotland, Derbyshire and the Yorkshire Dales, have confirmed the suspected presence of local dialects.

     Crucially this book is much more than a remarkable record of twenty years' fieldwork as it builds on earlier research elsewhere and relates local findings to the results of other current studies in England, Wales and Scotland. As a migrant, the Ring Ouzel faces additional pressures and problems on passage and conditions in their wintering areas in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco are described. The importance of Britain as a stop-over and refuelling area for Fennoscandian birds on passage in Spring and Autumn is stressed. This milestone publication bring the Ring Ouzel into sharp focus for the first time.

RECOMMENDATION: A must have for anyone with an interest in this species!