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NOW IN STOCK!
Brazil's bird diversity is one of the richest in the world. And yet there has never been a comprehensive
field guide to this splendid and elusive avifauna. Until now.
The carefully vetted text and images are the first to cover the full range of bird life in this vast and
varied country. The more than 1800 up-to-date accounts treat the Yellow-nosed Albatross to the Sombre Hummingbird,
the Ash-throated Gnat-eater to the Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Nighthawks and Jacamars to Motmots, Puffbirds,
and Peppershrikes. They are all here--every species and many subspecies found in each region of Brazil--with
special attention given to the 218 Brazilian endemics. The book is laid out so that the illustrations sit across
from the commentary and the distribution maps, so it is easy to use. Also, the author uses short-hand notation
throughout, to make the book compact and easy to carry when in the field. For each bird, the scientific, English,
and Portuguese name are given as well as detailed information on measurement; identifying features; habitat;
voice, song, and call. Distribution maps show the range for each species, also indicating seasonality and
occurrence, essential for finding and identifying specific birds. From the equatorial North to the tropics, the introductory paragraphs set the stage in describing Brazil's varied biogeography, climate, geomorphology, and natural vegetation. A list of protected areas of Brazil, information on relevant national and international organizations, a bibliography and further references, and an English-Portuguese dictionary of frequently used terms enhance the user-friendly qualities.
Anyone wishing to fully explore the fabulously varied bird life of Brazil will find this light-weight, easy-to-use, attractive guide an invaluable field companion.
WHAT WE THINK:
Van Perlo's artwork has always been a bit sketchy, somewhat fast and loose, as opposed to the finely finished
work of artists like Guy Tudor or Sophie Webb; but the field markings are
all clearly readable, and the color reproduction has been done quite well. The format is a bit large -
at 6 ½" x 9 ½" , although it's not very heavy, it would take a very large pocket
or a field guide bag. The format is nicely organized, with the color plates on the page opposite the text,
with each distribution map embedded in the text for each bird. Symbols, abbreviations, and shorthand are used
throughout to retain the brevity of the text. The distribution maps themselves are very useful because they
include a great deal of information. Using color shading, they show not only range, but also seasonal abundance and occurrence.
The English, Portuguese, and scientific name are given for each
species, along with length, identification notes, habitat, and voice. Overall, we believe it to be an improvement
over the only other commercially available guide, All the Birds of Brazil, by
Deodato Souza, and at a much more reasonable price.
PRODUCT DETAILS:
6 ½" x 9 ½" ; 465 pages; weight: 2 LB, 4 OZ ; 187 color plates, 1,791 distribution maps, 5 line illus.;
Example of color plate page spread
(Computer color reproduction may be inaccurate)
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Ber van Perlo is the author and illustrator of numerous popular field guides including Birds of Eastern Africa, Birds of Southern Africa, Birds of Western and Central Africa , and Birds of Mexico and Central America . Until 1991 he worked as a geographer and physical planner for the Dutch National Forest Service.
OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR:
Birds of Eastern Africa, Updated edition. Princeton Illustrated Checklists, 2009.
Birds of Southern Africa. Princeton Illustrated Checklists, 2009.
Birds of Western and Central Africa. Princeton Illustrated Checklists, 2003.
Birds of Mexico and Central America. Princeton Illustrated Checklists, 2006.
ILLUSTRATED BY VAN PERLO:
Rails: A Guide to the Rails, Crakes, Gallinules and Coots of the World. by Barry Taylor. Yale, 1998.
A Field Guide to Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. by Krys Kazmierczak. Yale/Pica Press, 2000.
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