[Himalaya]

I wanted to buy a field guide for the above region - which is best? Which has most accurate photos/pictures and information?

[John Cantelo]

Collins Bird Guide is the best by far - as everyone else here will agree .....

[Swissboy]

Originally Posted by John Cantelo

Collins Bird Guide is the best by far - as everyone else here will agree .....

Definitely so, yes!

[Simon Wates]

Yes - its the bees knees! (for want of something more passionate)

[Himalaya]

thanks all for that......so do i go for the latest edition?

[John Cantelo]

Originally Posted by Himalaya

thanks all for that......so do i go for the latest edition?

The old edition will give you 99.9% of what you need and, assuming you can still get the old edition, I wouldn't have thought any saving would be so great as to make you get that rather than the latest edition,

[wolfbirder]

Try Amazon can get real good bargains. Collins cost about £10 at present on Amazon (the newer 2nd edition). Also can get for £3, Photographic guide to birds of Europe by Svensson (inlcuding P & P) which is cracking value (www.amazon.co.uk).

By the way there are no photos in the Collins book or many other excellent field guides, but quite excellent sketches.

[Steve Babbs]

Originally Posted by John Cantelo

Collins Bird Guide is the best by far - as everyone else here will agree .....

It really is a one horse race.

[Weekend Birder]

Collins is easily the best and so cheap too.

[Keith Dickinson]

I'll go along with everyone about the Collins but if you can find a copy then 'The Macmillan Birder's Guide to European and Middle Eastern Birds' is definitely worth buying.

[Microtus]

Originally Posted by Keith Dickinson

I'll go along with everyone about the Collins but if you can find a copy then 'The Macmillan Birder's Guide to European and Middle Eastern Birds' is definitely worth buying.

That is a good book, but it only covers certain species.

[njlarsen]

Originally Posted by Microtus

That is a good book, but it only covers certain species.

The same (but to a lesser degree) can be said about the old Lars Jonsson, certain species are missing. The old Madge and Beaman is pretty complete, but hardly a field guide, much bigger.

Niels

[Himalaya]

is this the one?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Collins-Bird...1510980&sr=1-1

no North Africa and Middle East in that

[RonW]

Originally Posted by Himalaya

is this the one?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Collins-Bird...1510980&sr=1-1

no North Africa and Middle East in that

There are lots of different versions on Amazon. There is a Sept 2011 version that it very expensive and then several older ones. Are they very different?

[dalat]

The one with the owl on the cover is the 1st edition. 2nd edition has a tern on the cover.

There are 3 versions available:
Paperback
Hardcover
Large format (great to have at home, not for the field)

Content is identical for all 3 versions.

[Himalaya]

Thanks for that....but its just britian and Europe no Middle East/North Africa?

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by Himalaya

Thanks for that....but its just britian and Europe no Middle East/North Africa?

It covers all North Africa (except extreme southern parts, such as the south of Western Sahara, etc), plus a good degree of the Middle East, ie as far as Syria and Jordan in full, and certainly useful to the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Once venturing to the extremes of this area, eg Oman or Iran, then Birds of the Middle East becomes a required compliment (but note this also has one or two holes).

[Welsh Peregrine]

Although not in the title, it does cover the Middle East and North Africa (but not for example the Yemen endemics).