For birders all over the world
BOOK REVIEW
THE BIRDS OF AFRICA
Volume VI – Picathartes to Oxpeckers
pub. Academic Press ISBN 0-12-137306-1
ed. C Hilary Fry and Stuart Keith
The volume under review, volume VI, is to the same high standard as the previous five, and in many ways is an improved package. On the surface, the paper quality seems better, gone are the slightly clumsy tracings of the birds opposite the plates and the maps are improved - clearer and with more accurate plotting of distribution. A number of changes have taken place in the authorship of certain sections, in order to speed up the production process: for example, David Pearson has written all of the ‘Description’ sections, an awesome task considering the state of flux that bird taxonomy is in, and one comparable with that of Kees Roselaar in BWP, especially when you further consider the number and variety of bird families and species involved. The introductory section alludes to some of these changes, and through David I know the painstaking and careful process by which decisions have been made. As a general rule a sensible approach has been taken, with the Biological Species Concept (BSC) being followed but with regard to alternative methods (e.g. phenetic taxonomy). As the editors state, until African taxa are investigated with the same rigour as other complexes (e.g. the chiffchaff group in Eurasia), ‘doubts about taxonomic relationships and (the) ranking of African birds will remain and controversies flourish.’
Also within the introduction, the authors quote from a review of volume V, by J Kemp (1997): ‘More and more people are watching birds in Africa, but the majority are doing surveys or making lists. Few are taking the places of the great African naturalists that fill the references, van Someren, Chapin, Brosset, Erard, Lynes, Moreau and Vincent.’ Whilst this is true, and the above names are ones that appear time and again on specimens in most major museum collections, times have changed, with conservation (and consequently survey work) becoming increasingly important as habitat becomes more fragmented. There is the opportunity for a much larger number of people to travel, as opposed to the large, (dare I say it) imperial expeditions of the past, and it is now important to protect so that Africans will be able to do research for themselves. Certainly, I hope that ‘The Birds of Africa’ will inspire more birders to realise the importance of their observations and their place in protecting the threatened species in Africa.
There are texts and illustrations for 324 species within volume VI, and additional text for all ‘distinct’ subspecies and illustrations of some. The text is eminently readable, something which nowadays is becoming too infrequent, as editors whittle away at number of words so that soon most become rather like shorthand, and packed with information. Turn to any page at random: under Fiscal Shrike we find that pairs are estimated to start 13 clutches in an eight-month period; for Pied Crow it is sometimes known that wire makes up to 75% of the weight of a nest: etc..
The illustrations, as in the majority of previous volumes, are painted by a single artist, Martin Woodcock. I feel that through the years Martin has improved, and although there is sometimes a slight variability in the quality, his work very much complements the text. It is obvious when he has really enjoyed painting a plate, for example the Tchagras, plate 24, and he has also coped well with the very difficult task of sorting out the sunbirds.
All in all ‘The Birds of Africa, volume VI’ is an outstanding achievement, and one which all birders should have on their shelves – along with the other five and the last (to come in the near future).
Brian Small
October 2000
The Birds of Africa Vol VI can be ordered from Amazon.co.uk. Use this link for ordering details.
The Birds of Africa Vol VI can be ordered from Barnes & Noble.com. Use this link for ordering details.
The Birds of Africa Vol VI can be ordered from Amazon.com. Use this link for ordering details
