By Ber van Perlo

Birds of Southern Africa surpasses other field guides to the region by illustrating and describing all 1,250 bird species of South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. In addition, this is the only guide to illustrate the birds of Angola (including Cabinda), whose river basins and rocky hillsides are home to the striking White-headed Robin Chat and the Angolan Cave Chat. The 84 color plates group similar species and subspecies and also depict vagrants and ocean wanderers that appear in this huge region characterized by widely varying habitats, from woodlands and forests to deserts to swamps. The text directly opposite the plates concisely describes each bird's habitat and key physical, behavioral, and vocal characteristics. All the larks are shown perching as well as in flight, and every swallow is pictured in flight from below. The most distinctive immature and nonbreeding plumages are included, and distribution maps show the range and frequency of each species. This is an essential guide for any birder contemplating a trip to southern Africa.

    
1,250 species illustrated on 84 color plates
Buzzards to bustards, flufftails to flycatchers, penguins to pipits, and many more
Informative notes directly opposite illustrations succinctly describe each bird's habitat and key physical, behavioral, and vocal characteristics
Female or juvenile shown for many species in addition to adult male
Subspecies and color variants included
Shaded maps showing range and frequency of each species