James A. Eaton, Bas van Balen, Nick W. Brickle, Frank E. Rheindt: Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago

The first ornithological field guide covering the vast chain of the Indonesian archipelago has been completely revised following years of meticulous research. This second edition now encompasses over 2,800 illustrations, including 325 entirely new figures and nearly 500 alterations to the original artwork, supplemented by 1,350 maps of all regularly occurring species.

The guide fully covers the biogeographic regions of the Greater Sundas (Sumatra, Borneo, Java and Bali) and Wallacea (Sulawesi, the Moluccas and the Lesser Sundas), plus all satellite islands. This region spans an arc of over 4,000 km along the Equator, including East Timor, Brunei Darussalam, the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak and most of the territory of the Republic of Indonesia.

The species are mapped with improved accuracy by including three magnified geographical regions, or by a larger archipelago-wide map frame. The book describes all 1,456 bird species known to occur in the region, including 628 endemics, 106 vagrants, 4 introduced species and 10 species yet to be formally described. Together these represent over 13% of global bird diversity. Importantly, all subspecies are described in detail.

The authors’ combined vast, unparalleled experience and knowledge of the region’s birds brings together the latest taxonomic insights, knowledge of distribution, field identification features, vocalisations and more to create an indispensable reference for anyone with an interest in the avifauna of this fabulously diverse region. The additional attention to detail allows the guide to be used elsewhere in Asia as particular attention is paid to help the reader identify even the trickiest of species.

• Taxonomy follows an integrative approach based on bioacoustics, genomics and morphology, often based on the authors’ own peer-reviewed systematic work in the region.
• Detailed texts covering status, taxonomy, habitat and behaviour, all plumage variations, vocalisations, and similar species.
• 1,456 species, 628 endemics, 106 vagrants, 4 introduced and 10 undescribed species.
• Over 2,800 illustrations covering all species and distinctive subspecies, birds in flight, males and females, immatures and non-breeding plumages, where appropriate.
• 1,350 full-colour range maps for all regularly occurring species, spread across four regional map frames.
• List of all the bird names in Bahasa Indonesia, useful for travelling birders, researchers and to help interaction with Bahasa Indonesia speakers.
• A revised, more traditional and familiar index.
• Keeping within the taxonomic constraints, species accounts have been moved so that similar and/or regional species are on the same page, allowing for easier comparisons, and less time spent flicking between pages.
• 536 pages