Nightjars of the World

About this book

The definitive guide to nightjars written by the world's leading expert, Nigel Cleere.

Nightjars – a beautiful and charismatic group, popular with birders around the world. Some species have developed spectacular tails and wing adornments, but the majority are fairly uniform in appearance, making their identification a stern test.

The culmination of nearly 50 year of study by expert ornithologist Nigel Cleere, this new book focuses on these elusive birds. As the successor to Cleere's 2000 book Nightjars: A Guide to Nightjars and Related Birds, this new edition has been updated to include a comprehensive photographic selection, fully revised taxonomy and new distribution maps.

Authoritative text covers physiology, behaviour, plumage and moult, foraging, breeding and taxonomy. This is accompanied by around 400 photos, encompassing as much subspecific, sexual and age-related variation as possible, and 36 plates depicting feather-by-feather detail of every species.

Meticulously researched, this new Helm Identification Guide is the definitive account of the species, bringing the world of the nightjar out of the dark and into the spotlight.

Contents

Preface
Introduction
      Physiology and Behaviour
      Plumages and Moult
      Foraging and Food
      Breeding
      Abreviations used in the Text
      Acronyms used in the Text
      Glossary
Topography
Nightjar Classification
Notes on the Species Accounts
Colour Plates
Species Accounts
Acknowledgements
Photographic Credits
Bibliography
Index

Customer Reviews

Biography

Nigel Cleere is the world's leading expert on nightjars. He has studied them for nearly 50 years, and has travelled widely in search of these elusive birds. As a qualified ringer (bander), he has taken part in many ringing expeditions in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and South America, often making considerable efforts in order to capture and examine nightjars.