The New Encyclopedia of Birds ed.Chris Perrin (3 Viewers)

[pduxon]

Before I shell out £35 on something what do those of you who see it think of it? The 500 volume Handbook of Birds of the world is probably way too detailed for me and this seemed a good compromise.

Any thoughts?

 

[Tero]

I have something similar. Have not looked at this recently. They usually discuss families of birds and examples. Even though these are not field guides, I like to see distribution maps in any book.

Smithsonian has a nice collection of 600 world birds.

 

[Michael Frankis]

Anything by Perrin ought to be OK

Michael

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Anything by Perrin ought to be OK

Michael

Except if it's by Reginald Perrin

 

[Edward woodwood]

Andrew...no need for that!

I've not seen it Pete but have heard it's a good book and worth the outlay.

Cambridge Encylopaedia of Ornithology is likewise a very good book and a bit cheaper at about £20

 

[gordon hamlett]

It is a first class book, given the constraints of what it is trying to do in a single volume. Much better than the earlier edition.

Each bird family gets a couple of pages or so and there is a mix of highly readable text, photos, essays, diagrams and fact panels.

As always, the larger birds get the better treatment - fewere of them so more in depth, easier to photograph etc but if you are looking for a single volume encycopaedia (pedantic mode on - which, shame on you publishers, they have chosen to spell without the diphthong - pedantic mode off), then you won't go far wrong.

Gordon

 

[pduxon]

a single volume encycopaedia (pedantic mode on - which, shame on you publishers, they have chosen to spell without the diphthong - pedantic mode off),

When I tried to find it through Amazon at first I typed in encyclopaedia to the search and got nothing!!

Anyway thanks everyone. Only £24.50 through Amazon

 

[Darrell Clegg]

Pete,

A search on www.bookbrain.co.uk shows that Tesco book store is cheapest. It costs £26.25 but the postage is free. (£2.75 on amazon)

Darrell

 

[pduxon]

Pete,

A search on www.bookbrain.co.uk shows that Tesco book store is cheapest. It costs £26.25 but the postage is free. (£2.75 on amazon)

Darrell

thanks for that. Amazon have a deal whereby if you spend £40 you get postage free. I'm sure I'll be able to bump that £25 up!!

 

[Michael Frankis]

Except if it's by Reginald Perrin

Errr . . . . who's Reginald Perrin?

Michael

 

[digi-birder]

Errr . . . . who's Reginald Perrin?

Michael

At last - we've found something that Michael doesn't know!!

 

[pduxon]

Errr . . . . who's Reginald Perrin?

Michael

just how old are you Michael?

Reggie Perrin ah now there's a name to conjure with....

eek we're off topic.

So the book is worth getting thanks for this guys

 

[birdman]

At last - we've found something that Michael doesn't know!!

Michael didn't get where he is today by knowing who Reginald Perrin is!

I think the short answer to Mr. Frankis' lack of knowledge is he lives in a TV-free zone.

Sometimes (only sometimes, mind..) I envy him.


Back to original question, if it's any help, Pete, I am in the process of buying HBW, because, yes it is detailed, but I see it as the compromise between the OUP "Handbooks" which have too much scientific detail in for me, and your smaller Madge and Beaman type guide - the latter of which I also have, BTW, and is brilliant!

 

[digi-birder]

Michael didn't get where he is today by knowing who Reginald Perrin is!

I think the short answer to Mr. Frankis' lack of knowledge is he lives in a TV-free zone.

Sometimes (only sometimes, mind..) I envy him.

Oops! That's right. It slipped my mind. Sorry Michael.

 

[Michael Frankis]

Don't worry, I'm very proud of my complete ignorance of popular culture :-O

 

[digi-birder]

Don't worry, I'm very proud of my complete ignorance of popular culture :-O

Well, the programme was quite popular, in its time, but I was at a loss to see exactly why. I think I managed about two episodes.

Oops, off topic again!

 

[pduxon]

Well, the programme was quite popular, in its time, but I was at a loss to see exactly why. I think I managed about two episodes.

Oops, off topic again!

IT WAS A CLASSIC, 1 ,2 ,3 ,4 make them stand outside the door 5 , 6, 7, 8, it pays to make them stand and wait 9, 10 come!!

 

[pduxon]

As an aside to the original title I was considering in investing in ONE of the following

The Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic (Helm Identification Guides) - Mark Beaman et al

or

Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa: The Birds of the Western Palearctic - Stanley Cramp et al (concise)

are they worth it or should a neophyte like me stick with the Collins

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Pete,

Depends on what you want. Madge & Beaman is better if you want to concentrate on idents; the Concise BWP is much better if you want stacks of general info (e.g. accurate large distribution maps & populations, breeding data, food, behaviour, etc, etc, etc.).

If you can, get both.

Michael

 

[Tero]

I seem to have a Perrins book! It is a 1979 Readers Digest book. All illustrations by Ad Cameron, far superior to photos. I like the layout as well. Distribution of species and families only described in the text, no maps. A good buy used at $8.