Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands

A field guide covering 359 bird species from the Indian Ocean islands region. Each has a description of its identifying characteristics, habitat, status and call as well as a distribution map and at least one illustration. The pictorial index at the start of the book is particularly convenient for quick reference.

Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands is the first comprehensive guide to the bird life of a region that embraces Madagascar, the Seychelles group, the Comoros and the Mascarenes (comprising Mauritius, Réunion and Rodrigues). Together, these magical islands and the warm waters of the surrounding ocean host a total of 359 regularly encountered species, many of them endemic to the area, and all of them fully described here in clear, concise text. The species entries, which are accompanied by up-to-date distribution maps, highlight identification features, preferred habitats, current status and vocalization. Each species is beautifully illustrated to show plumage details. A special chapter, incorporating useful guide-type maps, discusses the practicalities of birding in the region's main locations. The plates, of which there are 71, have been superbly researched and executed by Norman Arlott, Hilary Burn, Peter Hayman and Ian Lewington, each of whom ranks among the world's leading bird artists.

Ian Sinclair, born and educated in Northern Ireland, studied museum technology before following his deepening interest in birds, a lifetime preoccupation that has taken him to some of the world's remoter regions (including the Himalayas, Antarctica and Marion Island, where he researched seabirds). Based in Cape Town, South Africa, he has led numerous birding expeditions through Africa and to the islands of the Indian Ocean. Among many books he has written are Field Guide to Birds of Southern Africa (Struik, 1984) and the best-selling Sasol Birds of Southern Africa (Struik, 1993).

Olivier Langrand was born and educated in France, gained a master's degree in zoology at the University of Natal, South Africa, and spent 14 years in Madagascar, conducting field research and later working with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) as biodiversity adviser. He has travelled extensively through the islands of the south-western Indian Ocean, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas. Among his published works is the definitive Guide to the Birds of Madagascar (Yale University Press, 1990). He is now the WWF's Central African regional representative, based in Libreville, Gabon.

• Contents
• Regional Map
• Introduction
• Family Introductions
• Locating Endemic Birds
  • Madagascar
  • Comoro Islands
  • Mauritius
  • Réunion
  • Rodrigues
  • Central Seychelles
  • Aldabra Islands
• Species Accounts
• Vagrants to the Region
• Glossary of Terms
• Illustrated Glossary
• Further Reading
• Indexes
  • Scientific Names
  • English Common Names

• Fauna > Madagascar > Birds