ID Handbook of European Birds (2-Volume Set)

Flora / Fauna New

By: Nils van Duivendijk(Author), Marc Guyt(Photographer), AGAMI(Photographer), Diederik Kok(Preface By), James Lidster(Translated by), Vincent van der Spek(Translated by)

1056 pages, 5500 colour photos

Publisher: Princeton University Press

NHBS

A groundbreaking two-volume photographic reference book covering all of Europe's birds.

ID Handbook of European Birds (2-Volume Set)

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Average customer review

ISBN: 9780691253572 Hardback Aug 2024 In stock
£66.99 £90.00
#263609

Price: £66.99

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About this book

Would you like to be able to identify any bird species in Europe, in all plumages, in every season? ID Handbook of European Birds is the resource for you. This identification handbook blends incisive descriptions with stunning high-resolution photos to provide the most comprehensive, in-depth coverage of European birds available. Never before has so much current information been brought together in one place and presented so clearly and completely. This monumental two-volume work is destined to become a standard reference to Europe's birds.

- Covers 733 species known to occur in Europe (taxonomy follows a modified version of the IOC World Bird List, prioritising ease of identification over taxonomic considerations. Nomenclature follows the IOC but defers to British names wherever there are differences with American ones)
- Features more than 5,500 spectacular colour photos
- Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, moulting, age, and gender
- The high-quality photos depict the characteristics most essential for identification
- Innovatively designed for easy, at-a-glance reference
- An ideal resource for anyone who wants to enhance their experience in the field
- A must for bird watchers everywhere, from beginners to seasoned birders

Customer Reviews (2)

Review this book

Excellent book, but with bizarre omissions
By Gleb 15 Aug 2024 Written for Hardback

In short, this book is excellent.

However, I have serious issues with the 'non-native species' section, mainly due to the inclusion of the Northern bald ibis in that section. The Northern bald ibis is a bird which went extinct in the region, but was re-introduced in some countries, including Spain, where it has established a self-sustaining population. It should have been included in the main text with significantly more photographs, specifically of its behaviour in flight compared to the glossy ibis.

Similarly, the section on introduced parrots is very bizarrely small. It covers only 2 species, but many others have escaped and established populations across Europe, such as yellow-collared and Fischer's lovebird, Senegal parrot, burrowing parrot and many others. Omissions bizarre for a book which costs so much. For the birds it does include, it is truly excellent and goes into great detail. Because of this, I did not have the heart to give it 3/5 despite the omissions Similarly, there are some wildfowl this book omits. Particularly, the omission of the emperor goose, which has bred in Cumbria, is also strange.

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Good but with quirks
By Allan 22 Aug 2024 Written for Hardback

Obviously the complement to Advanced Bird ID Guide by the same author and I feel you need to refer to that text as well as read the notes round the photos. The index is irritating, being just alphabetic by first word <> Advanced Bird ID Guide! So related species are not adjacent and a regular species may fall under Common/Eurasian/European/etc. Also the index in each volume only covers that volume. How many people will buy just one?

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Biography

Nils van Duivendijk is an ornithologist who contributes regularly to Dutch Birding and other premier birding journals. His books include Advanced Bird ID Guide: The Western Palearctic. Marc Guyt is a nature photographer and founder of AGAMI, a leading photographic agency that specializes in birds, mammals, and nature.

Flora / Fauna New

By: Nils van Duivendijk(Author), Marc Guyt(Photographer), AGAMI(Photographer), Diederik Kok(Preface By), James Lidster(Translated by), Vincent van der Spek(Translated by)

1056 pages, 5500 colour photos

Publisher: Princeton University Press

NHBS

A groundbreaking two-volume photographic reference book covering all of Europe's birds.

Media reviews

"This book is a goldmine – an essential reference for all keen birders in Europe."
– Roger Riddington, British Birds Rarities Committee

"Comprehensive, detailed, and visually stunning, a new standard has been set for photo guides. This is a must-have for any serious birder."
– Stephen Menzie, British Birds

"At last, a photographic identification guide created by a team that really knows their stuff! For every carefully selected image, the most important features are annotated precisely and succinctly to produce an incredibly comprehensive and authoritative work. Nils van Duivendijk's ID Handbook of European Birds presents us with vital information on virtually every aspect of bird identification we may wish to know. It will surely become my most used source of reference for the foreseeable future!"
– Killian Mullarney, coauthor of Collins Bird Guide

Reviews of the Dutch edition:

"This book is the gold standard for bird identification"
– Ruud van Beusekom, Vogelbescherming Nederland (Dutch partner of Birdlife International)

"With this impressive book, the door to identification has been opened further than ever before"
– Gerald Driessens, Natuurpunt (Flemish nature conservation association)

"All identification know-how compiled in two gorgeous volumes!"
– Laurens Steijn, BirdingBreaks (specialist in guide bird and nature tours)

"Clear pictures, lucid descriptions, and altogether beautifully designed"
– Marc Plomp, Vogelinformatiecentrum Texel (Bird Information Center on the island of Texel)