By far the most authoritative and comprehensive work ever published on the birds of Africa. The editors and artists have worked closely with the nine authors of this volume - all internationally acknowledged experts on their bird families - to produce encyclopaedic accounts of each species. Volume IV covers the first 312 of the 1200 or so passerine species which offur in continental Africa and its outlying islands. As in the first three volumes, each breeding species receives full coverage with sections on range and status, description, voice, general habits, food and breeding biology. Non-breeding visitors to the continent are treated more briefly with a text concentrating on the birds' status and biology while in Africa. Range maps are shown for each bird and superspecies maps are given where appropriate.
Once again Martin Woodcock has done full justice to the brilliant plumages of African birds. The large plates show the birds to their best advantage or adopt a more formal, field guide style to emphasise the identification points of the more difficult groups. Ian Willis' line drawings elaborate on displays and other patterns of behaviour described in the text. The beauty and scholarship of this now standard reference on African birds must ensure its place on every ornithologist's book shelf.
James Hancock was elected as a Corresponding Fellow of The American Ornithologist Union in 1995. The American Waterbirds Society honored him with their prestigious Kai Curry Lindahl award for Conservation.He is a Past President of the British Trust for Ornithology and served on the Council of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. He received an OBE for Service to Ornithology in H.M. the Queen's 1991 New Year's Honors List.He has authored and co-authored many books including his latest
Herons and Egrets of the World in 1999.He holds an honorary degree of Doctor of Science from the University of Southampton.