Birds New to Science: Fifty Years of Avian Discoveries

Description

Amazing as it might sound, ornithologists are still discovering several bird species each year that are completely new to science. These aren't all obscure brown birds on tiny islands - witness the bizarre Bare-faced Bulbul from Laos (2009), spectacular Araripe Manakin from Brazil (1998), or gaudy Bugun Liocichla from north-east India (2006). Birds New to Science documents more than half a century of these remarkable discoveries, covering around 300 species. Each account includes the story of discovery, a brief description of the bird (many with accompanying photographs), and details of what is known about its biology, range and conservation status. Written in an engaging style, this is a rich reference to an incredible era of adventure in ornithology.

David Brewer was born in Worcestershire, England. He read Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge and received his PhD from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. After a fellowship at the University of Arizona he emigrated to Canada. David has watched birds on all seven continents, but his main area interests are the study and conservation of birds of South and Central America. His publications include Wrens, Dippers and Thrashers (Helm, 2001), Where to Watch Birds in Central America and the Caribbean (with Nigel Wheatley) (Helm, 2002), the four-volume Canadian Atlas of Bird Banding (Canadian Wildlife Service, 2001-2010), and contributions to three volumes of the Handbook of the Birds of the World (Lynx, 2005-2010). He has been a Research Associate in Ornithology at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, for more than 25 years.

The concept of Birds New to Science is beautifully simple, the information meticulously researched, and the product neatly put together. This is an engaging, inspiring book ... Strongly recommended. -- James Lowen * Neotropical Birding * I recommend this book to world birders who want an entertaining and interesting background to new species, and to those who may think that we have described all the bird species of the world. -- Mark Tasker * Scottish Birds *