Books in the Helm Identification Guides series

This authoritative handbook, part of the Helm Identification Guide series, looks in detail at the remarkable and diverse birds of paradise--perhaps the ultimate birders'' birds.This Helm Identification Guide covers the taxonomy, biology, and conservation, of birds of paradise and bowerbirds in great detail, including a series of plates packed with beautiful illustrations from Richard Allen, and hundreds of photographs covering the full range of racial and age-related plumage variety. For any naturalist, the name "New Guinea" conjures up one group of animals above all others--the sensational birds of paradise, renowned for their dazzling and diverse plumages. This book, the first comprehensive monograph to the group this century, also includes the bower birds, a group that extends into Australia that is perhaps best known for the males'' construction of "bowers," structures of twigs and sticks used to tempt in females.The product of almost two decades of research and scholarship and a must-have book for anyone interested in these stunning birds, this will remain the standard reference on birds of paradise for many years to come.

This handbook covers 1282 species which occur in the western countries of Africa. Countries covered include Senegal, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, and Burkina Faso. 142 colour plates cover all the species described and distribution maps are provided.

This authoritative handbook covers the identification of this difficult group of warblers in breathtaking detail, illustrated with line drawings, sonograms, wonderful colour plates and photographs. It is destined to become the ultimate reference for these challenging birds.