The World's Rarest Birds - (Wildguides) by Erik Hirschfeld & Andy Swash & Robert Still (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

An illustrated survey of the world's most endangered birds

This illustrated book vividly depicts the most endangered birds in the world and provides the latest information on the threats each species faces and the measures being taken to save them. Today, 571 bird species are classified as critically endangered or endangered, and a further four now exist only in captivity. This landmark book features stunning photographs of 500 of these species--the results of a prestigious international photographic competition organized specifically for this book. It also showcases paintings by acclaimed wildlife artist Tomasz Cofta of the 75 species for which no photos are known to exist.

The World's Rarest Birds has introductory chapters that explain the threats to birds, the ways threat categories are applied, and the distinction between threat and rarity. The book is divided into seven regional sections--Europe and the Middle East; Africa and Madagascar; Asia; Australasia; Oceanic Islands; North America, Central America, and the Caribbean; and South America. Each section includes an illustrated directory to the bird species under threat there, and gives a concise description of distribution, status, population, key threats, and conservation needs. This one-of-a-kind book also provides coverage of 62 data-deficient species.

Review Quotes

"The World's Rarest Birds, though hefty, is so valuable: It offers short informative profiles of 591 of the most at-risk species, the birds classified as Endangered, Critically Endangered, or Extinct in the Wild. Instead of numbers on a chart, it allows us to see Cuba's Zapata Wren, Kenya's Taita Thrush, South America's Yellow Cardinal, and other species as birds worth caring about. A photo or a painting depicts each one--an astonishing accomplishment."---Joel Greenberg, Bird Watching

"[A] handsome volume. . . . Most people will never see an Australian night parrot, a Floreana mockingbird, or a Jamaican pauraque. This book is an inexpensive way for birders and general readers to travel the world to see the rare and endangered. Perhaps it can motivate more people to manage habitats for all species."---Linda Scarth, Booklist

"[A] remarkable book. . . . The 'coffee table' format belies the extraordinary amount of research and the sheer volume of information presented. The authors have produced a reference book of outstanding quality. But this is no ordinary reference book to be occasionally picked off the shelf, dusted down and browsed rather it is a treasure chest of stories of discovery, loss and re-discovery. I found each visit to these beautifully presented pages unearthed more gems and yet more extraordinary insights into our most threatened birdlife."---Keith Clarkson, Birding Frontiers

"[A] splendid book. . . . Those who read the book will be like the blind men and the elephant. Photographers will see a photography book. Birdwatchers will see a field guide to rare birds. Conservationists will see extinction. And dilettantes will see a coffee-table book. All will be in some measure correct."---Matt Young, Panda's Thumb

"A beautifully illustrated book vividly depicting the most endangered birds on our once beautiful planet, elaborating on the threats confronting these species, and the measures needed to protect them from dying out."---Wan Lixin, Shanghai Daily

"A coffee table treasure or a rainy day home birding experience. I highly recommend The World's Rarest Birds as a valuable addition to the libraries of conservationists and birders alike."---Brad Sylvester, Examiner.com, Birdwatching

"A landmark volume of unparalleled coverage. . . . An exemplary volume of long-term value, teaching us never to take for granted the presence of birds in our lives."-- "Library Journal"

"A monumental effort to elevate the visibility of bird conservation efforts worldwide."---Beth Buczynski, Care2.com

"A must have for those with an interest in bird conservation."---Ian Paulsen, Birdbooker Report

"A vivid portrait of animals under threat."---Maggie Fazeli Fard, Washington Post

"Absolutely fascinating from start to finish. . . . A must have for all bird lovers!"---Rob Ripma, Nutty Birder

"An authoritative volume that's also a delight to hold, even if it's frequently disturbing to read."---Bradley Winterton, Taipei Times

"An essential and timely study of conservationism and natural history."---Guy de Federicis, Blogcritics.org

"An extraordinary bird book. . . . If you support conservation, and wish to protect the Earth's rarest birds, you need to read The World's Rarest Birds."---Gabriel Thoumi, Mongabay.com

"As a quick reference and an authoritative and up-to-date conservation resource, this book belongs not only on the shelves of professionals, but will equally appeal to birders, nature enthusiasts, and anyone who feels concern for the loss of biodiversity."---Susan B. McRae, Quarterly Review of Biology

"As well as being well-researched, authoritative and up to date, this is also an impressive product. It is large-format, heavy and substantial with a 'quality feel' and is liberally illustrated throughout. Unfortunately, it is not a particularly joyful read for it is disturbing to find not only Velvet Scoter but also such species as Egyptian Vulture within its pages. Reading this book is therefore something of a bitter-sweet experience. It is a beautiful production and the birds are alluring indeed but their possibly brief tenure on this planet provides ample cause for despair."---Andy Stoddart, Rare Bird Alert

"Beautiful. . . . The book is intended to educate and mobilize birders, naturalists and the general public to take action to save threatened birds and to raise awareness for the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme."---Penny Miller, A Charm of Finches

"Bring[s] to life what might otherwise be an abstract idea devoid of the impetus of emotion--the glory and wonder of nature, and the truly, dazzlingly, urgent need to protect what's left of it."---Cathy Taibbi, Wildlife Conservation Examiner

"Dense, richly informative. . . . Offers a showcase of struggling birds globally--but each shot through a lens that celebrates their diversity, vibrance, elegance, and enthusiastic displays."-- "Audubon Magazine"

"Essential for birders, both armchair and actual, and readers in ecology and conservation. The scope, depth and organization are exemplary."---Sally Bickley, Library Journal

"Everyone who has an interest in our wonderful amazing weird and surprising birds should have a copy of The World's Rarest Birds. Its 350 pages are packed with stunning images and loaded with facts to inspire us all to do more to protect our wild birds and the wild places they live. . . . We highly recommend this book to all."-- "Biggest Twitch"

"Extraordinary images and design, along with authoritative text, make The World's Rarest Birds the best book on rare birds of the world that I've seen. I'm very glad to have it, but at the same time saddened that it has to exist at all. But since there are birds in trouble we need a book like this to tell their stories. It belongs on the table--not the shelf--of anyone who cares about birds."---Grant McCreary, Birder's Library

"Far from being just a list of rare birds and pretty pictures then, [The World's Rarest Birds] is a well-written, superbly-illustrated reference book that should be valid for years to come."---Charlie Moores, Talking Naturally

"Filled with beautiful pictures and drawings, and a wealth of information on endangered bird species, this book is an absolute must-have for anyone interested in bird conservation, and a delight for people everywhere who love birds and enjoy learning about them."---Bill Saur, Passionate Birder

"Fourth Place for the 2013 BB/BTO Best Bird Book of the Year, British Birds and the British Trust for Ornithology"

"Gorgeous photography, cool maps, graphs and tables, all will entice you to learn more about these birds and to care."---Robert Mortensen, Birding is Fun

"Gorgeous. . . . The details and facts listed are astounding."---Dave Lewis, Birds from Behind blog

"I loved this book; I would include it as one of the top books of the year."-- "Wildlife Extra"

"If you do any sort of world birding, or even just dream about it, this is nothing short of scripture."---Eric Salzman, ABA Blog

"If you're a world birder or an armchair birder this is a fascinating if sobering book."---Harry Fuller, Towhee Blog

"It can only be hoped that this beautiful book succeeds, however modestly, in its aim of increasing awareness of these threatened species--and of birds like the great knot that may well become endangered in the near future given the unsustainable path that we seem to be following."---David Diskin, South China Morning Post

"It is a sobering thought that, without heroic conservation efforts, many of these birds may soon exist only on the pages of books like this."-- "Natural History"

"It is sad to think that many of the birds depicted in this book may become extinct within our lifetime as a result of human impact and this book deserves a place on many a coffee table as a stark reminder of our influence on this planet."-- "BTO Online"

"One of Library Journal's Best Sci-Tech Books for 2013"

"Outstanding. . . . A great read and a[n] exceptional contribution to the global Ornithological community."---Dan Murray, Birding New Jersey

"The book is educational, promotes conservation, looks nice, but at the same time is a reference source for those rare birds. . . . The World's Rarest Birds is like that stuff you put in your gas tank to add oomph to your engine, but with birdbooks. A regional library of references will suddenly have high octane information on some of the least known species."---Greg Laden, Science Blogs

"The content makes for disturbing reading, packed as it is with evidence and insight into how man is slowly but surely eliminating many of Planet Earth's 10,000 bird species. . . . As the publishers quite rightly say with their accompanying literature, 'this is a book that we all wish wasn't necessary' (my emphasis). This is a sentiment that will resonate to most reading this blog but the book needs to find a wider audience rather than simply reach the already converted. The World's Rarest Birds deserves that wider audience and I sincerely hope it reaches them; otherwise we may need to produce another and more desperate volume in a short number of years. Let's hope not. This is a great book, and I have a suggestion. Buy two and send one copy to your elected representative at the highest level possible."---Phil Slade, Another Bird Blog

"This book is one of the most important bird publications ever."---Bill Harvey, BirdingASIA

"This book is packed with information and, for its price, it provides an impressive amount of material. In total, 650 species are featured and the volume harnessed the work of 321 photographers from around the world. It represents a truly impressive feat and I challenge any travelling birder not to be obsessed with it! How sad, though, that such a work of beauty details a story that can only be described as the tragic failure of mankind."-- "Birding World"

"This fascinating table-sized book contains a wealth of data on the world's rarest birds. It is loaded with nice photos, tables and maps."---FHB, Wildlife Activist

"This fine book is simultaneously fascinating and saddening."---Herb Wilson, Portland Press Herald

"This gorgeous oversized hardcover is a roll-call of the world's endangered birds, listed by region. . . . [A]nyone who loves birds will learn a lot from this sobering reference that documents the variety of endangered birds and the tragic thoroughness and destructive reach of man'kind.'"---Devorah Bennu, GrrlScientist

"This guide, filled with photos and descriptions of conservation efforts, illustrates the perils faced by rare and endangered avian species."-- "Science News"

"This has clearly been a labor of love for the team who produced the book. The result is a testament to the efforts and design skills of the authors, the generosity of the photographers who donated their images, and the expertise of the many other contributors. Stunning images emphasize the beauty and irreplaceability of these species, while the range maps--many merely a small dot on a regional map--are a stark reminder of how close we are to losing so much. The book is very modestly priced and is likely to become a convenient and standard source of information for birders, students, conservationists and professional ornithologists."---Paul Dolman, Ibis

"This is a coffee-table volume scrapes the glossy veneer from rarity, places a marker firmly in the ground in a measured manner and unflinchingly highlights the endangered and vulnerable along with the challenges that face us to make them less so. If it succeeds in raising awareness for even some of the species it highlights it will be a major achievement. Buy a copy and give it to your MP or MEP with a personal message to do more; it's the least we can do."---Alan Tilmouth, Birdguides

"This is an excellent book; packed with information, well-designed, full of excellent photographs and with lots of well-written and interesting text. The photographs are marvellous. And the illustrations of those birds for which no decent photographs exist, by Tomasz Cofta, are excellent too. . . . It is a book that is a joy to have--but a shame that it needs to exist."-- "Mark Avery blog"

"This landmark book features stunning photographs of 500 of these species--the results of a prestigious international photographic competition organized specifically for this book. . . . [O]ne-of-a-kind."-- "World Book Industry"

"This lovely, coffee-table sized book is a wonder. . . . The take away lesson in this book is obvious: The species described in the book are in peril; conservation actions for each are necessary, and time is of the essence."-- "Birding Community e-Bulletin"

"This reference book would be ideal for any library with an interest in ornithology and conservation alongside bird watchers across the globe. The research that has gone into producing this book must have been immense. . . . Hopefully the book will at least increase awareness of all these threatened species. It has been a bitter-sweet read."---Helen Ashton, Reference reviews

"This substantial volume, with the motto 'Let the birds speak for themselves', gives visual and textual confirmation to the threats faced by a substantial fraction of the birds of the world. Hirschfeld, Swash, and Still provide images and conservation information for 650 avian species worldwide, focusing the reader's attention on the varieties of problems avifauna face. . . . This valuable work deserves a place in every library ornithology collection."-- "Choice"

About the Author

Erik Hirschfeld works in air traffic control management and is a freelance writer, guide, and consultant in ornithology. Andy Swash is managing director of WILDGuides and a professional wildlife photographer, naturalist, author, and guide. Robert Still is an ecologist, widely traveled naturalist, and graphic artist who designs books that encourage people to take a greater interest in the natural world.