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Article archives > African Travel

September, 2005

Travel Spotlight: AFRICA

With a wide variety of geographical zones, the habitats are extremely varied from one point on the African continent to the next. A large avifauna and and the sheer variety therein makes this a birder's paradise.
NORTH AFRICA:

This area is actually a part of the Palearctic region. The Sahara Desert forms a geographical boundary that has resulted in different avifauna on either side. The most comprehensive field guides for this area include all of Europe, like Heinzel, Fitter, and Parslow's Birds of Britain and Europe with North Africa and the Middle East. or Svensson and Mullarney's Birds of Europe. But if you want to focus in on only the birds of North Africa, the following book is the best for the region:

HOLLOM, P.A.D., R. PORTER, S. CHRISTENSEN & I. WILLIS. Birds of the Middle East and North Africa. Buteo, 1988. 700 species covered, 350 of which are illustrated on 40 color plates. Also 100 line drawings in the text. Distribution maps. Companion to A Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe by Peterson et al. Includes Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and all of the Middle East. 320 pp. Item #543. $32.95

WEST AFRICA:

BORROW, Nik and Ron DEMEY. Princeton Field Guides: Birds of Western Africa. Princeton University Press, 2004. A condensed field version of the massive 830 page guide, with all 147 original color plates depicting nearly all 1,285 species. Distribution maps. Covers the area from Senegal and southern Mauritania east to Chad and the Central African Republic and south to Congo. 511 pp. Item #618. $40.00

VAN PERLO, Ber. Birds of Western and Central Africa. Princeton University Press, 2003. Over 1500 species, 109 color plates, distribution maps. All plumages depicted. Covers 19 countries, from Senegal to Nigeria, all the way to the Democratic Republic of Congo. 384 pp. Paper. Small - about the size of a Peterson. Item #667. $29.95

EAST AFRICA:

STEVENSON, Terry and John FANSHAWE. Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa. Princeton, 2006 (2002). 287 color plates covering 1388 species. Text and distribution maps opposite color plates. Illustrated by Brian Small, John Gale, and Norman Arlott. 604 pp. Now available in paperback. Item #662. $35.00

VAN PERLO, Ber. Birds of Eastern Africa. Princeton, 1995. Nearly 1500 species illustrated on 96 color plates, 85 pages of maps. Covers Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Minimal text. 301 pp. Paper. Small - about the size of a Peterson. Item #665. OUT OF PRINT

Also helpful:
SHORT, Lester L., et al. Annotated Checklist of the Birds of East Africa. WFVZ, 1990. Volume 4, No. 3, pp. 61-246. Paper. Item #654. $22.50

WILLIAMS, John G. A Field Guide to the National Parks of East Africa. Collins, 1981 (1994). Each park is treated individually; interesting features and resident species are described, along with access and accomodation information, and maps. Illustrated by Norman ARLOTT and Rena FENNESSY. Nearly 400 mammals and birds are described, with details of appearance, size, weight, coloring, voice, distribution, habitat and habits. Over 350 species illustrated. 336 pp. Item #670. $22.00

SOUTH AFRICA:

Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa. Kenneth Newman. Capetown: Struik, 2002. Its range includes birds from the southern seas as well as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, and Mozanbique. Illustrated in color by the author. Distribution maps. 527 pp. Paper. $23.95

SINCLAIR, Ian. Southern African Birds: A Photographic Guide. Struik, 1990 (1992). Pocket guide to the 265 more frequently encountered species. Concise text, small distribution maps. Thumbnail tabs for quick reference. Pocket size. 144 pp. Paper. Item #656. $17.50

SINCLAIR, Ian, Phil HOCKEY, & Warwick TARBOTON. Birds of Southern Africa. Third edition. Princeton, 2002. 200 color plates illustrating 950 species. Distribution maps, color coded organization. Regional checklist, quick reference guides to locating species, and illustrated family accounts. 447 pp. Paper. Item #659. $29.95

SINCLAIR, Ian and Peter RYAN. Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Princeton University Press, 2004. Covers the entire Afrotropic region, including Socotra, Pemba, and the islands in the Gulf of Guinea. Over 2,100 species illustrated in 359 color plates. 760 pp. Paper. Item #658. $45.00

VAN PERLO, Ber. Birds of Southern Africa. Princeton, 1999. Over 1250 species illustrated in color. Covers South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Angola. Range maps. 320 pp. Paper. Item #666. $29.95

CENTRAL AFRICA:

VAN PERLO, Ber. Birds of Western and Central Africa. Princeton University Press, 2003. Over 1500 species, 109 color plates, distribution maps. All plumages depicted. Covers 19 countries, from Senegal to Nigeria, all the way to the Democratic Republic of Congo. 384 pp. Paper. Small - about the size of a Peterson. Item #667. $29.95

AFRICAN ISLANDS:

BRADT, Hilary, Derek SCHURMAN, and Nick GARBUTT. Madagascar Wildlife: A Visitor's Guide . Globe Pequot Press, 1996. Color photographs of over 250 species, including birds, mammals, reptiles and invertebrates, plus where to see them. Info on National parks and reserves, and ecology and conservation. 138 pp. Paper. Item #619. $19.95

LANGRAND, Olivier. Guide to the Birds of Madagascar. Yale, 1990. 40 color plates, 364 pp. Comprehensive and detailed. A large hardcover with excellent color plates. Item #643. $75.00

MORRIS, Pete and Frank HAWKINS. Birds of Madagascar: A Photographic Guide. Yale, 1998. Color photos. Includes a checklist, map, and lengthy species entries. 316 pp. Hardcover, but still portable. Item #646. $45.00

AFRICAN WILDLIFE:

ALDEN, Peter, Richard D. ESTES, Duane SCHLITTER, and Bunny MCBRIDE. National Audubon Society Field Guide to African Wildlife. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1995. Includes mammals, reptiles, insects, and birds. Color photographs, country maps and range maps. 992 pp. Flexi. Item #612. $22.95
Also see the mammals section.

FINDING GUIDES:

SKERRETT, Adrian and Ian BULLOCK. A Birdwatchers' Guide to Seychelles. Prion, 1992. 71 pp. Paper. Item #661. $22.50
WARD, Rod. A Birdwatchers' Guide to the Gambia. Perry: Prion Ltd, 1994. Sixth in the series. B&W illustrations, maps. 116 pp. Item #668. $22.50
WHEATLEY, Nigel. Where to Watch Birds in Africa. Princeton University Press, 1996. Over 200 bird-watching sites with descriptions of endemic species. 432 pp. Item #669. Cloth - $37.50; Paper - $19.95

For more books to study before and after your trip, see the Afrotropical region.

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	HOLLOM, P.A.D., R. PORTER, S. CHRISTENSEN & I. WILLIS. Birds of the Middle East and North Africa. Buteo, 1988. 700 species covered, 350 of which are illustrated on 40 color plates. Also 100 line drawings in the text. Distribution maps. Companion to A Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe by Peterson et al. Includes Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and all of the Middle East. 320 pp. Item #543. $32.95
WEST AFRICA:
	BORROW, Nik and Ron DEMEY. Princeton Field Guides: Birds of Western Africa. Princeton University Press, 2004. A condensed field version of the massive 830 page guide, with all 147 original color plates depicting nearly all 1,285 species. Distribution maps. Covers the area from Senegal and southern Mauritania east to Chad and the Central African Republic and south to Congo. 511 pp. Item #618. $40.00
	VAN PERLO, Ber. Birds of Western and Central Africa. Princeton University Press, 2003. Over 1500 species, 109 color plates, distribution maps. All plumages depicted. Covers 19 countries, from Senegal to Nigeria, all the way to the Democratic Republic of Congo. 384 pp. Paper. Small - about the size of a Peterson. Item #667. $29.95
EAST AFRICA:
	STEVENSON, Terry and John FANSHAWE. Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa. Princeton, 2006 (2002). 287 color plates covering 1388 species. Text and distribution maps opposite color plates. Illustrated by Brian Small, John Gale, and Norman Arlott. 604 pp. Now available in paperback. Item #662. $35.00
	VAN PERLO, Ber. Birds of Eastern Africa. Princeton, 1995. Nearly 1500 species illustrated on 96 color plates, 85 pages of maps. Covers Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Minimal text. 301 pp. Paper. Small - about the size of a Peterson. Item #665. OUT OF PRINT
	Also helpful: SHORT, Lester L., et al. Annotated Checklist of the Birds of East Africa. WFVZ, 1990. Volume 4, No. 3, pp. 61-246. Paper. Item #654. $22.50
	WILLIAMS, John G. A Field Guide to the National Parks of East Africa. Collins, 1981 (1994). Each park is treated individually; interesting features and resident species are described, along with access and accomodation information, and maps. Illustrated by Norman ARLOTT and Rena FENNESSY. Nearly 400 mammals and birds are described, with details of appearance, size, weight, coloring, voice, distribution, habitat and habits. Over 350 species illustrated. 336 pp. Item #670. $22.00
SOUTH AFRICA:
	Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa. Kenneth Newman. Capetown: Struik, 2002. Its range includes birds from the southern seas as well as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, and Mozanbique. Illustrated in color by the author. Distribution maps. 527 pp. Paper. $23.95
	SINCLAIR, Ian. Southern African Birds: A Photographic Guide. Struik, 1990 (1992). Pocket guide to the 265 more frequently encountered species. Concise text, small distribution maps. Thumbnail tabs for quick reference. Pocket size. 144 pp. Paper. Item #656. $17.50
	SINCLAIR, Ian, Phil HOCKEY, & Warwick TARBOTON. Birds of Southern Africa. Third edition. Princeton, 2002. 200 color plates illustrating 950 species. Distribution maps, color coded organization. Regional checklist, quick reference guides to locating species, and illustrated family accounts. 447 pp. Paper. Item #659. $29.95
	SINCLAIR, Ian and Peter RYAN. Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Princeton University Press, 2004. Covers the entire Afrotropic region, including Socotra, Pemba, and the islands in the Gulf of Guinea. Over 2,100 species illustrated in 359 color plates. 760 pp. Paper. Item #658. $45.00
	VAN PERLO, Ber. Birds of Southern Africa. Princeton, 1999. Over 1250 species illustrated in color. Covers South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Angola. Range maps. 320 pp. Paper. Item #666. $29.95
CENTRAL AFRICA:
	VAN PERLO, Ber. Birds of Western and Central Africa. Princeton University Press, 2003. Over 1500 species, 109 color plates, distribution maps. All plumages depicted. Covers 19 countries, from Senegal to Nigeria, all the way to the Democratic Republic of Congo. 384 pp. Paper. Small - about the size of a Peterson. Item #667. $29.95
AFRICAN ISLANDS:
	BRADT, Hilary, Derek SCHURMAN, and Nick GARBUTT. Madagascar Wildlife: A Visitor's Guide . Globe Pequot Press, 1996. Color photographs of over 250 species, including birds, mammals, reptiles and invertebrates, plus where to see them. Info on National parks and reserves, and ecology and conservation. 138 pp. Paper. Item #619. $19.95
	LANGRAND, Olivier. Guide to the Birds of Madagascar. Yale, 1990. 40 color plates, 364 pp. Comprehensive and detailed. A large hardcover with excellent color plates. Item #643. $75.00
	MORRIS, Pete and Frank HAWKINS. Birds of Madagascar: A Photographic Guide. Yale, 1998. Color photos. Includes a checklist, map, and lengthy species entries. 316 pp. Hardcover, but still portable. Item #646. $45.00
AFRICAN WILDLIFE:
	ALDEN, Peter, Richard D. ESTES, Duane SCHLITTER, and Bunny MCBRIDE. National Audubon Society Field Guide to African Wildlife. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1995. Includes mammals, reptiles, insects, and birds. Color photographs, country maps and range maps. 992 pp. Flexi. Item #612. $22.95 Also see the mammals section.
FINDING GUIDES:
SKERRETT, Adrian and Ian BULLOCK. A Birdwatchers' Guide to Seychelles. Prion, 1992. 71 pp. Paper. Item #661. $22.50 WARD, Rod. A Birdwatchers' Guide to the Gambia. Perry: Prion Ltd, 1994. Sixth in the series. B&W illustrations, maps. 116 pp. Item #668. $22.50 WHEATLEY, Nigel. Where to Watch Birds in Africa. Princeton University Press, 1996. Over 200 bird-watching sites with descriptions of endemic species. 432 pp. Item #669. Cloth - $37.50; Paper - $19.95 For more books to study before and after your trip, see the Afrotropical region.