Synopses & Reviews
Situated on one of the major Palearctic-African migration routes, Israel is an area of tremendous interest to ornithologists. This book is the most complete, up-to-date reference on bird distribution in, and migration through, Israel, compiled by a foremost authority. The book especially distinguishes those subspecies found in Israel, and includes hundreds of maps and diagrams detailing seasonal occurrence. The addition of hundreds of color photographs ensures that this book will become the most significant work on birds of this fascinating region.
Special Features Include:
- The most detailed, up-to-date account of the distribution and migration of birds in Israel ever published
- Over 500 species described
- Written by the foremost authority on the subject
- Maps for all the major species
- Over 400 color photographs
Review
"MAGNIFICENT. This single word sums up
The Birds of Israel."
--New Scientist
Review
"In this monumental and beautifully produced book, Hadoram Shirihai has put together the definitive work on the birds of Israel, the detail supplied on each bird is exhaustive."
--Lorraine Kirk, Jewish Chronicle
Review
"This tome is mindboggling in every respect: 2.5 inches thick, 692 pages plus 8 pages of front matter; 100 color plates showing breeding species, common migrants, rarities and habitats; 10,000 summer, winter and migrational distribution maps, averaging three per species, with eight transparent overlays showing environmental and climactic conditions. Although this volume will be of major interest to bird banders and ornithologists, other serious students of bird plumages will find much value in its ID points at the both species and sub-species levels."
--Eric Salzman, Winging It
Review
"[A] sumptuous and authoritative account of the status and distribution of over 500 species, written by the country's foremost field ornithologist. . . . The photographs are quite superb . . . perfectly complemented by wonderful black-and-white drawings. . . . An essential reference source for bird conservationists."
--BTO News
Review
"Cancel the trip to Scillies, stay in for a month, starve the children--anything to save up the [money] needed to buy this extraordinary book. . . . It's the kind of book you pick up and only put down again when the weight becomes too much for you to continue. . . . What is most striking is the sheer weight of the information: not just the status and distribution of Israel's birdlife, but also the portrait of bird movements across space and time. . . . A bird book can be useful, a work of reference, attractive to look at, or simply a good read. Very few manage to be all of these.
The Birds of Israel is just such a work and gives new meaning to that famous phrase, 'the Hadoram experience'."
--Birdwatch
Review
"This sumptuous book could almost have been produced by the Israeli Tourist Board. Everyone I have shown it to so far either wants to return to, or visit Israel as soon as possible. What is more, it is a book to be read, not to gather dust and be referred to only when required. If you have visited or intend to visit the region, are interested in migration studies or birds of the Western Palearctic in general, then I urge you to save up and buy a copy. This is a stunning achievement."
--Gordon Hamlett, Bird Watching
Review
Winner of the 1996 Bird Book of the Year, Birdwatch
Winner of the 1996 Best Book of the Year, British Birds
Review
"This sumptuous book causes a gush of enthusiasm. Hadoram Shirihai has created a mature classic of regional ornithology. The illustrations and color photographs are among the book's most useful and attractive features. No serious ornithological library should be without it."
--Birding
Review
"The Birds of Israel is a landmark publication that carries the banner of all that is best in modern ornithology."
--Birdwatchers Library
Review
"To write a comprehensive book on so diverse and complex an avifauna requires a special kind of ornithologist. Just such a person is Hadoram Shirihai, who put the last seven years of his life on hold to write this monumental work. I strongly recommend this book to everyone interested in any aspect of the bird life of the Middle East."
--Reuven Yosef, Auk
Review
"
The Birds of Israel is a remarkable achievement by any standards--at almost 700 pages long, its comprehensive coverage of a national avifauna must be second to none."
--Birdwatch
Review
"The Birds of Israel, a sumptuous . . . blockbuster, is the clear winner in our annual search for the best book for twitchers."
--Stuart Winter, Daily Star
Review
"This is quite an astonishing book. . . . Even if you have no intention of visiting Israel, this book is an essential reference for students of Middle Eastern ornithology and those interested in subspecific variations of West Palearctic birds."
--Simon Harrap, Birding World
Review
"Every once in a while, a book appears and you say to yourself 'I wish I'd written that,' for me, this is one such book. Here is a model avifauna for others to aspire to. Hadoram Shirihai, the editors (Ehud Dovrat and David A. Christie) and the ten atlas area coordinators all deserve much praise."
--Richard Porter, British Birds
Table of Contents
Foreword vii
An Israeli Viewpoint viii
List of Colour Plates ix
Preface xi
Acknowledgements xiii
Part 1: General Introduction xix
1.History of ornithology in Israel xix
2.The main features of the Israeli Avifauna xxii
2.1 The breeding species xxii
2.2 The wintering species xxxviii
2.3 The migrant species xlv
2.4 The vagrants lxi
Part 2: Relevant Introduction 1xiii
1.Layout, use of text and some methods // lxiii
2.The bird atlas and its symbols // lxxiii
3.The geographical features as presented in the bird atlas lxx
Part 3: The Birds of Israel l
1.Classification contents l
2.Species accounts 3
3.Appendix (a, b, c and d) 642
Gazetteer and the area codes mentioned in the species accounts 651
References 666
Index 680
Note added in proof 691