3 Review(s)

A comprehensive field guide to the birds of Oman Oman is a truly amazing birding destination. In terms of avifauna it lies at the crossroads between Asian and African species - Arabian desert species to the north, and a host of Afrotropical species occurring in the monsoon-swept south that don't occur anywhere else in the Western Palaearctic, while also being a destination for Palearctic migrants. With much of the Middle East now effectively off-limits to birders, people are increasingly turning to Oman and its avian riches. And what riches they are - highlights include the Omani Owl, a suite of regionally scarce wheatears, exotic pigeons, shearwaters and storm-petrels that can be seen from the beach, a host of wintering eagles plus impressive residents such as Verreaux's, the only accessible sites for Arabian Golden-winged Grosbeak and Yemen Serin ... the list goes on and on. This book is a comprehensive field guide to the birds of this fascinating and welcoming country. All 528 species on the Oman Bird List are featured on 116 superb colour plates, with full coverage of age, sex and subspecific plumage variation. Concise species accounts cover key identification features - including habitat and voice - with colour maps showing the breeding, wintering and migration distributions for all regularly occurring species. Birds of Oman is the perfect guide to this wonderful country's birdlife. Written by the world's leading expert on Middle Eastern birds, Richard Porter, along with Oman bird specialist Jens Eriksen, it is indispensible for any naturalist visiting this jewel of the Middle East.