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which guide for Southern Africa? (1 Viewer)

bigduggs

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I hope this hasn't been broached before but can anyone recommend the best guide for Southern Africa (Namibia and Botswana next year, who knows where in future!)? I've used van Perlo for three trips to South Africa but don't really like it - the illustrations are too small, the maps hard to find and it's strewn with errors. Are the SASOL or the Roberts guide better and, if so, which one?
Thanks

Bigduggs
 
Bigduggs, yeah, agree with you on the van Perlo. The Sasol, Robert's Field Guide (Chittenden) or the Newman's are all good and will serve you far better than the van Perlo. I prefer the Sasol but the Robert's I use quite a bit, too. Nothing wrong with the Newman's and it was my favourite until the 2002 edition but at that point I believe the new Sasol became the better guide.
 
I have birded in the area since 1994 (I work as a safari guide) and believe that SASOl is far better than Newmans, which is not to say that I din't admire the man himself. The new Roberts is also very good (but don't by error try taking the full size into the field lest you herniate something). Either one will serve you very well - and if you must learn any call, learn that of the Pearl Spotted Owl - whenever one whistles you will have a feast of other birds nearby mobbing.
 
My wife has started talking about visiting South Africa, and even though nothing is imminent, I thought I might start dreaming by looking for a field guide. Amazon.com has a version of the Sasol guide, but also a Princeton guide that is $5 cheaper and seems to have the same authors; is this really the same book with a different cover?

Amazon.com only have one version of Roberts, a hardcover book that is ridiculously expensive. Can anyone provide the ISBN for the small version so that I can try searching directly?

And maybe the most important question: will there be a new and improved book coming out soon that I should wait for?

thanks
Niels
 
Roberts Bird Guide:
ISBN-10: 0620383135
ISBN-13: 978-0620383134

I've been to South Africa a couple of times in the last few years and used the SASOL on both trips, I think it's the pick of the bunch. The Roberts is OK but there are some 'dodgy' illustrations.
 
Birds of Africa South of the Sahara (Sinclair and Ryan) is also good and will get your mouth watering with some of the more obscure species featured.
 
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