Field guide to Birds of Costa Rica: Second Edition (Helm Field Guides) - Softcover

Richard Garrigues

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1472916530 ISBN 13: 9781472916532

Publisher: Helm (UK), 2014

Synopsis

A comprehensive field guide to the magnificent birdlife of Costa Rica.

Graced with bounteous natural beauty, Costa Rica has become a popular destination for ecologically aware travellers from all over the world. Perhaps the countrys most remarkable draw is its stunning birdlife, which is one of the largest and most diverse of any country in the world. The shimmering quetzals, brightly coloured macaws and spectacular toucans that populate tourism posters only begin to hint at the magnificent avian diversity to be found throughout this small country.

Now in its second edition, the objective of this book is to help you correctly identify birds in Costa Rica. Each family of birds is introduced by a brief description that should help the novice birder determine to which group a bird belongs. 903 species in total are included on 174 stunning colour plates by artist Robert Dean. Corresponding to each species illustration is a written account on the facing page, covering the unique field marks to look for that will distinguish each species from similar ones, along with information about status, distribution and vocalisation. Most species accounts include a map indicating its distribution within Costa Rica.

This pocket-friendly yet authoritative field guide is an essential companion for anyone visiting this astoundingly bird-rich corner of Central America.

About this title

About the Author

Richard Garrigues is a naturalist and author who has been birding since the age of sixteen, when a close encounter with a Black-and-white Warbler walking up a tree trunk just a few feet away from him in suburban New Jersey made a lasting impression. He has lived in Costa Rica since 1981 and has become one of its best-known bird-tour leaders.

Robert Dean is an ornithologist and artist specialising on the birds of Central America. Dean has illustrated field guides to Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama. A former musician, Dean rose to prominence as a member of the British new wave band Japan from 1975 to 1981 before moving to Monteverde, Costa Rica and pivoting from music to exquisite bird art.

From the Back Cover

Graced with bounteous natural beauty Costa Rica has become a popular destination for travellers from all over the world. Birds play a prominent role in attracting visitors, too. The shimmering quetzals, gaudy macaws, and comical toucans that populate tourism posters only begin to hint at the impressive avian diversity to be found throughout this small country. The principal objective of this book is to help you correctly identify birds in Costa Rica. Each family of birds is introduced by a brief description that should help the novice birder determine to which group a bird belongs. Nearly every species is illustrated by one or more images, as needed. Corresponding to each species' illustration is a written account on the facing page. The account begins with the unique field marks to look for that will distinguish each species from similar ones. Following the description is information about status, distribution and vocalisation. Most species accounts include a a map showing the distribution within Costa Rica. This new edition features 903 species in total, including 64 that are illustrated here for the first time. The 174 colour plates include 360 new images from artist Robert Dean. The text and maps have been fully updated to ensure that this guide is the definitive field guide for anyone visiting Costa Rica.

Edition details

• Publisher: Helm (UK)
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1472916530
• ISBN 13: 9781472916532
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Robert Dean
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 440