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Book review - Complete Photographic Guide: Birds Of Southern Africa
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November 5, 2009
By James Mitchell
Complete Photographic Guide: Birds Of Southern Africa
by Ian Sinclair & Peter Ryan
Struik Nature, R270
Use this "field guide" sitting down - it's a solid piece of work. It claims to be the "largest and most comprehensive" one-volume collection of photographs of southern African birds, pulling together more than 2 500 images in the process. Not only are all of southern Africa's 958 bird species included, but a further 17 are added from Antarctica and the Southern Ocean and its islands (including Tristan da Cunha).
Accepting that "no sequence will please everyone", the authors have decided to stick to the more traditional sequence used in the Sasol field guides, rather than following the "Sibley sequence" preferred in Roberts 7th edition. Although these sequences may not always reflect actual relationships, they say, the facilitation of comparison and identification is more important.
Useful comments on the practicality of digital photography are included. - James Mitchell
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