Product Description

This stunning book captures the grace and beauty of the world's birds. In more than 500 pages, ornithologist Les Beletsky has gathered over 1,600 original paintings that reveal the form, posture, and plumage of every single bird family found in the world, featuring illustrations of more than 1,300 avian species that are characteristic of the families. Detailed paintings are by eleven of the world's leading bird artists, with many being published here for the first time. Beletsky's detailed, readable, descriptions are paired with these vivid images to show the diversity of the world's approximately 200 bird families. Garden bird-watchers, avid twitchers, and professional ornithologists alike will find in these pages everything from the everyday to the exotic, from diminutive hummingbirds to massive ostriches, from Antarctic penguins to tropical parrots. Comprehensive, authoritative, and beautifully illustrated, 'Birds of the World' will amaze and inspire everyone with an interest in this remarkable part of the world's fauna.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #100805 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 482 pages

Review
'Expert naturalist Les Beletsky and a team of first-rate artists have produced a bird world overview that is as accurate and informative as it is beautiful.' KENN KAUFMAN, author of the Field Guide to Advanced Birding ' ! as a starting point for those who are beginning to become curious about our avian friends, it will prove a useful and valuable reference.' Cage & Aviary Birds

About the Author
LES BELETSKY, PH.D., is an ornithologist and the series editor of the Audubon Travellers' Wildlife Guides. He is a visiting scholar at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, USA

Customer Reviews

Pretty book. Poor content.
As a fan of Collins' Birds of Britain and Europe (and of Collins reference in general), I ordered this book expecting great things. Sadly, although the book looks great, there's really little here - text wise - to interest or inform. Buy it if you like looking at pretty pictures, but if you want a good solid reference book, then look else where. A great disappointment. Collins can do better.

Birds of the World
Excellent book; full of handy information. If you are a world twitcher then it is a bit heavy to carry around.