Guia de Aves del Estrecho de Gibraltar

Guia de Aves del Estrecho de Gibraltar

Parque Natural "Los Alcornocales" y Comarca de "La Janda"

by  Cardona, David Barros and David Rios Esteban

2008, 328pp, ISBN: 8460745457

Rating:  1  2  3  4  x

Basics:  softcover, 115 color plates of all 350+ species, monthly migration charts, maps, text on status, identification, and movements, Spanish and English

This book is a melding of an identification guide and of a migrational data reference. There is probably no better geographic and migrational area that warrants such a book as does the Strait of Gibraltar. This book has three key components: plates, identification text, and migration data.

First, the 115 color plates illustrate all 350+ species that have been recorded either passing through or residing in the region. Most of the birds receive multiple illustrations to depict plumage variations. The artistry is good, but still a notch below the European guides by Mullarney or by Johnsson. Depending on your skill level with some of the migrating warblers, you may want to supplement this Gibraltar guide with one of the above mentioned ID guides.

The one paragraph of text given for each bird, in both Spanish and English, covers status, identification, and movements. The status reviews the seasonal presence of the bird along with its frequency. The identification material, ranging from 1-3 sentences, is brief but effective. In conjunction with the plates, the material will help identify all but the more difficult of species. The section on movements addresses which weeks or months a bird is expected to arrive or depart during its migration.

Helping to define this field guide as unique, the are three types of graphics inserted directly onto the plates and the text pages.  These provide information for many of the birds' distribution, seasonal presence, and monthly frequency.  The style of map used is typically seen in a breeding atlas.  Using a grid over a map of the region, each block of the map is specifically colored to represent one of three statuses:  Resident, summer breeder, or winter visitor.  Accompanying this map is a horizontal bar representing the 12 months of the year.  Each month is colored to denote the seasonal presence of the bird. Lastly, a bar-chart is provided for many of the birds to display the intensity or count of birds seen each month.

The first 60 pages of the book provide useful information on ringing/banding, key migration points, 38 photos of habitats, and migration maps. These maps help to pinpoint key spots and routes of migration.

If you plan on birding this notable migration route in Europe, you'll definitely want to take this book with you. The plates and the information provided within make it both useful and valuable.

I've listed several related books below…

1) Birds of Gibraltar by Cortes et al.

2) Birds of the Strait of Gibraltar by Finlayson

3) Nomads of the Strait of Gibraltar by Partida

4) The Ornithology of the Straits of Gibraltar by Irby

5) Birds of Iberia by Finlayson

6) Birds of Europe by Mullarney

Birds in Ecuador

Birds in Ecuador: A Photographic Journey

by  Bartley, Glenn

2009, 119pp, ISBN: 9780981321202

Rating:  1  2  3  4  5

Basics:  softcover; beautiful color photographs of 131 species, short captions with each photo; no   other text

This is a simple book consisting of just photographs, yet the extraordinary quality of these photos makes the book so much more.  Within this book are 131 species found across four areas of Ecuador.  These areas are categorized as east, west, south, and Sierra. Other than the Sierra, these areas are loosely defined since it is possible to see many of the birds in multiple areas.  However, the birds shown are quite typical for their region.

What makes these photos so special?  First, they show the highest quality of color, focus, lighting, and pose of the bird.  Each time I flip a page, I’m impressed with the vivid colors that are captured.  The printer of this book did an awesome job.  Every bird is front-and-center in the photograph and not partially hidden by vegetation or shadows.  What also makes the photographs so remarkable is the size of each bird.  Many of the photos take up the entire page of this large format book.  The pages are 9x12 inches.

I thought I was a decent photographer, but this book demonstrates a new level of skill, patience, and passion.  Ecuador is perhaps my favorite birding location and I’ve taken many photos, so I can understand the difficulty the author/photographer experienced when trying to get the perfect shot to include in this book.  Of course, some luck goes with getting the active upper-canopy tanager to hold still in just the right spot; or, for that frustrating antbird to do the unthinkable which is to come out in the open.  But it also takes patience and skill to be in the right spot at the right time; and, to get those camera settings set properly.

Within this book you’ll see a variety of tanagers, pittas, woodcreepers, trogons, and hummingbirds.  The hummingbirds are featured most prominently with 34 species shown.  The tanager family ranks second with 17 species.  You must see the photo of the Paradise Tanager on the last page.

Each photo is accompanied by the bird’s common name along with a brief caption.  The caption may simply identify or describe the bird; or, some captions will include a short commentary about the bird’s habits, distribution, or behavior.  Other than a half-page note about conservation at the beginning of the book, no other text is included, not even an index.  I find the lack of an index to be a minor distraction.  When I want to see the Barred Becard again I am forced to randomly thumb through the pages until spotting it.  Since the hummingbirds are scattered throughout the four regions of the book, finding a specific one can take a little searching.  Come to think of it, if there is no index or table of contents, then why are the pages numbered?

This book is the prototypical, high-quality "coffee table" book that must adorn any birder's or naturalist's library.  After looking through the pages - many times - this book will leave you wishing to see future works of this photographer for all of Ecuador's birds. I know I'll make note to keep track of his future works.

This book can be purchased directly from the author at his website HERE for approximately $30 with discounts on multiple copies. – (written by Jack at Avian Review, December 2009)

I’ve listed several related books below…

1) Aves de Mi Tierra

2) Plumas: Birds in Ecuador by Cooper

3) Quinde: Ecuador by Rampon

4) Colores del Aire, Los by Hurtado

5) Hummingbirds of Colombia by Mazariegos

6) Photographic Guide to the Birds of Ecuador and Galapagos, A by Byers

7) Birds of Ecuador - Volume 1 & 2 by Ridgely

8) Birds of Ecuador / Aves de Ecuador: DVD-ROM by Krabbe09-Dec-2009

9) Birds of Northern South America by Restall

10) South American Birds by Dunning

Songs and Nests

I have updated two new pages to Avian Review.  One page is dedicated to books on bird vocalizations and the second to nests and eggs.

The page on BIRD VOCALIZATIONS contains 14 different books shown with 64 sample pages plus another 23 titles.

The page on NESTS & EGGS contains 13 different books shown with 58 sample pages, plus another 33 titles.

Non-passerines

Another page has been updated on the Avian Review website.  This page covers a variety of groups for some of the Non-passerine families not found on their own dedicated page (e.g., grebes, pelicans, rails, cranes, nightjars, cuckoos, turacos, kingfishers, swifts, etc.).

On this page, you can see 25 different books which are shown with 124 sample pages.  Another 26 titles are listed, which are those books I have not yet had a chance to see.

You can go directly to that page by clicking...HERE

Passerines

Another page has been updated on the Avian Review website.  This page covers a variety of groups for some of the passerine families not found on their own dedicated page (e.g., pittas, swallows, tyrant flycatchers, jays, fairy-wrens, icterids, tanagers, etc.).

On this page, you can see 29 different books which are shown with 137 sample pages.  Another 27 titles are listed, which are those books I have not yet had a chance to see.

You can go directly to that page by clicking...HERE