A dedicated field guide to the world's raptors

Raptors - predatory birds that include the falcons, eagles, hawks, harriers, buzzards, kites and the Osprey - have been watched, admired, studied and painted from ancient times. Our understanding of the biology, ecology and taxonomy of these birds was condensed into one of the finest monographs of the century to date, Raptors of the World, by James Ferguson-Lees and David Christie.

This field guide represents the next step on from that magnificent work. It features plates by some of the world's leading bird artists, with a concise text and a colour distribution map on facing pages, creating a lightweight field reference that covers all 340 raptor species, from the sparrow-sized Black-thighed Falconet to the mighty Steller's Sea-eagle, and everything in between.

Armed with this guide, birders will be able to identify any bird of prey they encounter anywhere in the world with confidence.

The authors are both highly-regarded ornithologists with a particular
interest in raptors. They previously worked together on the
award-winning Raptors of the World (Helm).

Raptors of the World (Helm, 2001) is the definitive handbook
to this most popular group of birds. This new field guide uses all of
the plates from Raptors of the World, with a concise, revised text on
facing pages, to create a conveniently-sized, lightweight field
reference covering all 340 raptor species. Several of the plates have
been reworked and repainted for this guide. The book also has an
updated colour distribution map for each species.

Much of the extensive introductory material has been retained in
this guide, with the addition of a complete species list containing all
subspecies and brief details of their ranges. Armed with this guide,
birders will be able to identify with confidence any raptor encountered
anywhere in the world.