`THE BIRDS OF AFRICA` 7 VOLUME SET PUBLISHED BY ACADEMIC PRESS

"THE BIRDS OF AFRICA" 7 VOLUME SET PUBLISHED BY ACADEMIC PRESS, ALL HARDCOVERS, INTACT DUSTJACKETS, IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THESE VOLUMES ARE ACCLAIMED AS THE AUTHORITY ON THE AVIFAUNA OF AFRICA.

Volume I: Ostriches to Falcons, Editors: Leslie H. Brown, Emil K. Urban and Kenneth Newman, Princeton University Press 1982 -"This volume ostriches to falcons. The entire set covers all the avifauna of Africa, one of the most varied and interesting in the world. While many regional guides to African birds exist and is the first comprehensive guide to the bird life of the continent as a whole, including North Africa. The entire set covers all species of birds found in Africa, including migrants from the Palearctic and vagrants. Resident birds are described in full detail, with sections on their range and status, description, field characters, voice, general behaviour, food and breeding biology. Visitors are also given extensive coverage, with emphasis on their status and behaviour within Africa."

Volume II: Gamebirds to Pigeons, Editors: Emil K. Urban, C. Hilary Fry and Stuart Keith, Princeton University Press, 1986-"This volume covers gamebirds to pigeons. In order to do justice to the ever increasing volume of publications on African birds and the wealth of material collated by the contributors, and to fulfil the aim of illustrating all main plumages of every species, the series has been expanded to six volumes, the first three to cover the non-passerines and the last three the passerines. As in Volume I, all species of birds found in Africa are covered, including migrants and vagrants. Resident birds are treated in full detail, with sections on their range and status, description, field characters, voice, general behaviour, food and breeding biology. Visitors are also given extensive coverage, with emphasis on their status and behaviour within Africa."

Volume III: Parrots to Woodpeckers, Editors: C. Hilary Fry, Stuart Keith and Emil K. Urban, Princeton University Press, 1988-"This volume completes the non-passerines, dealing with all species occurring on the continent - residents and visitors alike - in the following families: parrots, turacos, cuckoos, owls, nightjars, swifts, colies, kingfishers and their allies, and woodpeckers and their allies. All are illustrated, and all known biological information is included. The passerines (songbirds) are covered in the later four volumes."

Volume IV: Broadbills to Chats, Editors: Stuart Keith, Emil K Urban and C Hilary Fry, Princeton University Press, 1992-"This volume covers the first 312 of the 1,200 or so passerine species which occur in Africa and the outlying islands. As in the first three volumes, each breeding species receives full coverage with sections on range and status, description, voice, general habits, food, and breeding biology. Non-breeding visitors are treated more briefly. The text concentrates on the bird's status and biology while in Africa. Range maps are given for each bird and super species maps are shown where appropriate. Large color plates, illustrated by Martin Woodcock, show the birds and adopt a more formal, field-guide style to emphasize the identification points of the more difficult groups. Ian Willis' line drawings elaborate on displays and patterns of behavior described in the text."

Volume V: Thrushes to Puffback Flycatchers, Editors: Emil K Urban, C Hilary Fry and Stuart Keith, Princeton University Press, 1997-"This volume deals with the Passerine birds of the continent. The families treated fall into the following groups: thrushes, Old World warblers, Old World flycatchers, monarch flycatchers wattle-eyes and puffback flycatchers. The editors and artists have worked closely with nine other authors to produce a superb reference in which encyclopedic texts on every species are complemented by accurate and detailed paintings and drawings of the birds themselves. Full bibliographies, acoustic references and indexes complete this marvelous reference."

Volume VI: Picathartes to Oxpeckers, Editors: C Hilary Fry and Stuart Keith, Princeton University Press, 2000-"This volume deals with songbirds from the babblers to starlings. A new introduction brings the reader up-to-date with recent developments in the series and includes an essay on aspects of biogeography illustrated through African birds. Overviews of the families are followed by genus summaries (with associated superspecies maps, where appropriate) and the species accounts themselves, organized under standard heading: Range and Status, Description, Field Characters, Voice, General Habits, Food, Breeding Habits, and Key References. Each species has a distribution map and many are illustrated with line drawings by Ian Willis showing nests and behavior. Full references to written and sound recorded material complete this authoritative coverage."

Volume VII: Sparrows to Buntings, Editors: C Hilary Fry and Stuart Keith, Princeton University Press, 2004-"This volume covers more than 340 species, from sparrows to buntings. The editors and artists have worked closely with nine other authors to produce a superb reference in which encyclopedic texts on every species are complemented by accurate and detailed paintings and drawings of the birds themselves. Full bibliographies, acoustic references, and indexes complete this marvelous work of reference."