The Birds of Africa. Vol. VIII: Birds of the Malagasy Region

Description:

Illustrated by John Gale and Brian Small, this beautifully illustrated book contains detailed treatment of each of the 352 regularly occurring species known from Madagascar, Seychelles, the Comoros and the Mascarenes. Distribution, description, identification, general behaviour, feeding and breeding habits are comprehensively covered. All 135 vagrant species are also treated, more briefly, and for the first time the distribution of species across the region is presented in a series of detailed and informative maps. Each species is also extensively illustrated, showing variation in plumage across ages, sexes and geographic regions. One plate illustrates species that have recently become extinct, and a separate plate section covers vagrants.

The region’s avifauna is characterised by a very high level of endemism, both at the species level and higher – at genus and family levels. Includes a detailed analysis of the biogeography and evolutionary history of the region, and a thorough overview of the geography, climate and vegetation. This is a major work of reference on the birds of the region and will remain the standard text for many years to come.