United States
£ GBP
A fully revised and updated second edition of this comprehensive field guide to the birds of Cuba.
The largest island in the Caribbean, Cuba contains a vast range of ecosystems, from scrub and grasslands to mountain ranges and coastal mangrove forests. These landscapes are home to a amazing diversity of avifauna, including many endemic and near-endemic and rare species, as well as a large number of migratory birds, making Cuba a highly attractive destination for birders.
Revised and updated throughout, Birds of Cuba includes high-quality colour plates illustrating more than 370 species recorded on the region and 29 extant endemic species, with informative text on facing pages for easy reference. Written by Cuba's two leading ornithologists, the concise species accounts describe key identification features, voice, habitat and behaviour. Fully updated colour distribution maps are included for most species.
The definitive field guide to this magical island, Birds of Cuba is an essential companion for any visiting birder or naturalist.
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Geography
Climate
Geology
Origins of Cuban Avifauna
Vegetation and Habitats
Migration
Conservation
Where to Watch Birds in Cuba
Information for Visiting Birders
About this Field Guide
Bird Topography
Species Accounts and Illustrations
Appendix 1: Endemic Taxa in Cuba
Glossary
Bibliography
Credits
Index
Arturo Kirkconnell is widely considered to be Cuba's leading ornithologist. The former Curator of Ornithology at the National Museum of Natural History of Cuba in Havana, his curriculum vitae includes almost 100 scientific papers on the island's birds, and he is the co-author (with Guy Kirwan and Mike Flieg) of A Birdwatchers' Guide to Cuba and (with Patricia Bradley and Yves-Jacques Rey-Millet) A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Cuba, along with the first edition of this book. Arturo has been leading birding tours in Cuba since 1988.
Orlando H. Garrido is a true Cuban legend. A native of Havana, Orlando is both a renowned naturalist, credited with the description of more than 100 species, and a former tennis player, having played at Wimbledon several times in his youth.
"At the start of the millennium, two of Cuba's foremost ornithologists published the country's first field guide. Twenty-five years later, Arturo Kirkconnell and Orlando H. Garrido have done it again, providing an authoritative updated edition for a new generation of birdwatchers."
– Guy Kirwan, Natural History Museum
"This new edition represents the best field guide for Cuban birds to date, with field marks for every species recorded, excellent illustrations, and new distribution maps. If you are planning a visit to the island, this book is a must-have."
– William Suarez, Curator, National Museum of Natural History of Cuba
"The first edition of Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba was groundbreaking, so it is a true pleasure to welcome this second edition. With new records and status updates, it will serve birders in Cuba for years to come."
– George E. Wallace, American Bird Conservancy
