Which field guide is best? (1 Viewer)

[jimmyjames]

I am planning on visiting most of South America so I guess one field guide isn't going to do it but I will only be bale to carry one at a time.

Can anyone tell me which is best starting with Argentina? And perhaps you could advise me for other countries too? Am heading to Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil and perhaps even more,,,

Thanks a million

James

 

[njlarsen]

For Chile, there is only one possibility: the Jaramillo guide.

Niels

 

[dacol]

You can do it with just 2 books:

Birds of South America: Non-passerines (Collins Field Guide)
by Francisco Erize, Jorge R. Roderiguez Mata, and Maurice Rumboll,
Paperback: 376 pages,
Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 1 inches,

Field Guide to the Songbirds of South America: The Passerines
by Robert S. Ridgely and Guy Tudor (new book, just published June 2009, includes
all plates from their two-volume masterpiece plus some 400 new illustrations),
Paperback: 736 pages,
Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.7 inches.


Dalcio

 

[jimmyjames]

Thanks for the advice guys.

Are they portable-ish? I'll be doing a lot of backpacking and they'll have to fit in my day pack with bins /water /etc!

 

[jimmyjames]

Thank you for the info anyway.. I'm now looking for them in London so I can check size and weight.

Cheers!

UPDATE

I just discovered the size of the Passerine book is way over what I can afford to carry ( I have to walk everywhere - no budget for car hire or tours)

So, I will have to buy individual country guides then which will be tricky but possibly better in the long run.

I already know the best ones for Chile and Peru - any advice on the rest and if they are easily found in the countries visited?

Thanks

 

[njlarsen]

Probably a good idea to check the individual country sections for country specific guides

Niels

 

[Fritz73]

For Argentina there are two Field Guides available:

'Birds of Southern South America and Antarctica'
by Martin R. de la Pena, Maurice Rumboll

'Birds of Argentina & Uruguay. A Field Guide'
by Tito Narosky, Dario Yzurieta

 

[Fritz73]

You can do it with just 2 books:

Birds of South America: Non-passerines (Collins Field Guide)
by Francisco Erize, Jorge R. Roderiguez Mata, and Maurice Rumboll,
Paperback: 376 pages,
Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 1 inches,

Field Guide to the Songbirds of South America: The Passerines
by Robert S. Ridgely and Guy Tudor (new book, just published June 2009, includes
all plates from their two-volume masterpiece plus some 400 new illustrations),
Paperback: 736 pages,
Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.7 inches.


Dalcio

With above books you do not need any other book for South America. 2nd one is brand new and based in previous two volumes which where excelllent.

 

[Peter C.]

With above books you do not need any other book for South America. 2nd one is brand new and based in previous two volumes which where excellent.

I have the two original Ridgely & Tudor books, volumes I & II in the "Birds of South America Series" (in hardcover), and they are two of my favourite bird books (out of a largish collection - much too large, in my wife's opinion). I would go as far as to say these may be the most beautiful books I have ever seen. However, in this format, they are not, of course, useful as field guides - not at all portable. However, I imagine the combined one would be more so, and the plates are matchless. (Although I really have to wonder how they combined the two, added 400+ illustrations, and didn't end up with a book about 6" thick! The paintings must be tiny...)

However, all that aside, I have a question - in light of the appearance of this new book (the Collins guide to sub-passerines mentioned above), does this mean that I must give up on hoping they'll ever complete the series? That would be sad.

Peter C.

 

[Fritz73]

Agree with you Peter - that would be sad if the missing part will be never published.

I also have these 2 volumes for the passerines and they are my favorites too.