Birds Of Somalia

Somalia, with seven endemic species, is one of the most important bird areas in Africa; it is also one of the least well-known. Birds of Somalia provides an atlas of 654 maps showing the distribution of all the species known from the country. Each species account details the species' preferred habitat, its relative abundance, and details of migration, breeding season and clutch size. Much of the ornithological content of the book is based on personal experience. About 70% of the observations on the maps were provided by the authors and they claim to have seen all but one of the 654 birds on the Somali list. Besides adding over 50 first time records to it, they were also responsible for finding and adding to science one new species and four new subspecies of birds in Somalia. Chapters summarise the available knowledge on bird migration and breeding seasons within Somalia. The records are astonishing when it is considered that they come from such a little-known country. The results of the rather limited amount of ringing carried out in the country are also summarised, and the recoveries of ringed birds are of extreme interest. Christopher Hemming contributes what amounts to a major treatise on the soils and vegetation of Somalia, Carlo Violani and Fausto Barbagli provide a historical review of ornithology and ornithologists, Professor Celia Nyamweru describes the geology, and Peter Robertson gives an up-to-date perspective on the state of bird and habitat conservation and the issues involved. A magnificent series of coloured plates by Martin Woodcock is included which depict 25 little-known birds special to the region, including the new species and races. There is also a selection of habitat photographs and excellent maps showing the topography, geology and vegetation of the country. There are further lists detailing hybrids, doubtful records, species offshore and borderline and unacceptable records. Of much interest and value to many, including museum workers and those not directly involved in ornithology, will be the gazetteer of localities throughout Somalia. Its value is greatly enhanced by being cross referenced in Somali (with the old and new spellings), English and Italian. Lastly, a full bibliography lists more than 550 titles.

This is the first field guide to the birds of this fascinating region, and a companion to Birds of East Africa by two of the same authors. The Horn of Africa has the highest endemism of any region in Africa, and around 70 species are found nowhere else in the world. Many of these are confined to the isolated highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea, but a large number of larks specialise in the arid parts of Somalia and adjoining eastern Ethiopia, whilst the island of Socotra has its own suite of endemic species. The region is also an important migration route and wintering site for many Palearctic birds. Over 200 magnificent plates by John Gale and Brian Small illustrate every species that has ever occurred in the five countries covered by the guide, and the succinct text covers the key identification criteria. Special attention is paid to the voices of the species, and over 1000 up-to-date colour distribution maps are included. This long-awaited guide is a much-needed addition to the literature on African birds and an essential companion for birders visiting the region.

This is the first field guide to the birds of this fascinating region, and a companion to Birds of East Africa by two of the same authors. The Horn of Africa has the highest endemism of any region in Africa, and around 70 species are found nowhere else in the world. Many of these are confined to the isolated highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea, but a large number of larks specialise in the arid parts of Somalia and adjoining eastern Ethiopia, whilst the island of Socotra has its own suite of endemic species. The region is also an important migration route and wintering site for many Palearctic birds. Over 200 magnificent plates by John Gale and Brian Small illustrate every species that has ever occurred in the five countries covered by the guide, and the succinct text covers the key identification criteria. Special attention is paid to the voices of the species, and over 1000 up-to-date colour distribution maps are included. This long-awaited guide is a much-needed addition to the literature on African birds and an essential companion for birders visiting the region.

Originally published as: Second edition. (Helm field guides): London: Christopher Helm, 2011.

This catalogue provides a detailed account of the bird species collected by the expedition into Somali Land, including their physical characteristics, behavior, and habitat. With beautiful illustrations and meticulous descriptions, this book offers a valuable resource for bird enthusiasts and scientists alike. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.