Because of the extra concise nature of this book, i would recommend that its use is supplemented by the larger 'Birds of east Africa' which, in the case of Ethiopia, contains more information on most of the birds found here but would be very difficult to carry when trekking. The book still enabled identification of over 300 species in 2 months of travelling, and is essential to a birder to this country of incredible diversity such as 12 nightjars, 20 starlings, as many doves , 6 endemic serins and 6 hornbills to name but a few!


An excellent synopsis of birds to be seen and their areas   November 13, 2000
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

I took this book with me for a two week family holiday in Kenya where I visited Tsavo game parks, coastal regions and also went on a bush walk near Mombasa. As a beginner to African birds I found the illustrations and brief descriptions very helpful and in some cases it was superior to the larger reference books that I had studied before I went. It is light and compact for carrying in a map pocket or similar and the paper and binding has stood up well to the sweat and constant thumbing through. Although some names of birds may be unfamiliar to seasoned birders the general layout and classifications fit an established pattern and the index of Latin names helped with other identifications. Some juvenile plumages are shown and the call descriptions are very good. My only problem was that some birds are shown bigger than others when in reality they are smaller. Not an easy thing to sort out when bouncing in the back of a safari bus.