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Nicaragua (1 Viewer)

In a brief discussion with the author it sounds like the new guide will be similar to the new Northern Central America guide as well as the CR and Panama guides in terms of content / layout with status, abundance, distribution, field marks, vocalizations, color coded maps. With illustrations by Robert Dean it should be familiar to anyone who has the CR or Panama guide.

I see it as a very welcome effort and it's nice to see Nicaragua get a guide that will be published internationally!
 
In a brief discussion with the author it sounds like the new guide will be similar to the new Northern Central America guide as well as the CR and Panama guides in terms of content / layout with status, abundance, distribution, field marks, vocalizations, color coded maps. With illustrations by Robert Dean it should be familiar to anyone who has the CR or Panama guide.

I see it as a very welcome effort and it's nice to see Nicaragua get a guide that will be published internationally!

What about this one, just four years ago. Do you see the new book being of superior quality, enough to make people who have the previous book, buy another?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Guide-Nica...id=1515864341&sr=8-1&keywords=birds+nicaragua


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You can see some plates from the prior guide here:

http://www.lynxeds.com/product/guide-birds-nicaragua-nicaragua-una-guía-aves

I only have seen it in person once, and briefly, and just glanced at the art. I didn't make any critical evaluations other than to say the art was aesthetically pleasing. I didn't have time to dig into it.

I have no idea if the new guide will be superior, I had emailed Liliana to ask if it was a completely new effort or a refresh of the prior book with new art or what, she made it sound like it was more of a fresh effort. I also thought it was odd to produce two different guides in quick succession. I think either one is probably a good guide but I imagine the new one with maps and vocalization descriptions and the like might be a bit better. Will have to wait and see.

Either way I'm always a fan of more guide books!
 
You can see some plates from the prior guide here:

http://www.lynxeds.com/product/guide-birds-nicaragua-nicaragua-una-guía-aves

I only have seen it in person once, and briefly, and just glanced at the art. I didn't make any critical evaluations other than to say the art was aesthetically pleasing. I didn't have time to dig into it.

I have no idea if the new guide will be superior, I had emailed Liliana to ask if it was a completely new effort or a refresh of the prior book with new art or what, she made it sound like it was more of a fresh effort. I also thought it was odd to produce two different guides in quick succession. I think either one is probably a good guide but I imagine the new one with maps and vocalization descriptions and the like might be a bit better. Will have to wait and see.

Either way I'm always a fan of more guide books!

I have the first one already as I'm sure many do, that's why I'm not sure there will be a rush to buy this unless it's obviously much better?

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I should think that if you already have one guide another won't add a ton, honestly. It's remarkable what the selection of guides for Cen America is like now compared to just 4-5 years ago. When I spent 14 months in Mexico and Central America the guidebooks available were Howell & Webb, the awful Van Perlo, Jones's Belize guide, and the Costa Rica and Panama guides. Now with the addition of Jesse and Oliver's N Central America guide, Robert Gallardo's Honduras guide, and TWO Nicaragua guides, it's not a question of making do with next to nothing, it's a question of choosing from many.

It is interesting too that the wealth of new guides is making Mexico look increasingly due for a modern guide. Despite the fact that Howell & Webb is still wonderful, a compact guide that includes migrants and range maps next to the plates and descriptions seems to be the now most lacking guidebook for N America.
 
I should think that if you already have one guide another won't add a ton, honestly. It's remarkable what the selection of guides for Cen America is like now compared to just 4-5 years ago. When I spent 14 months in Mexico and Central America the guidebooks available were Howell & Webb, the awful Van Perlo, Jones's Belize guide, and the Costa Rica and Panama guides. Now with the addition of Jesse and Oliver's N Central America guide, Robert Gallardo's Honduras guide, and TWO Nicaragua guides, it's not a question of making do with next to nothing, it's a question of choosing from many.

It is interesting too that the wealth of new guides is making Mexico look increasingly due for a modern guide. Despite the fact that Howell & Webb is still wonderful, a compact guide that includes migrants and range maps next to the plates and descriptions seems to be the now most lacking guidebook for N America.

I know that for many, they won't want to pay for another book. The fact is that there is an unavoidable overlap in species when countries are so cose together, especially with migrants in Central America that use these countries as a land bridge to South America.

The advantage of a single country guide is that there is specific info which helps narrow down the likely species which makes it so much easier for birders new to the area.

What's the taxonomy like in the new book I wonder, any splits since the first book?

I agree, a new Mexico guide would be nice.


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I would guess the taxonomy would be up to date with NACC/AOU or pretty close. There haven't been a lot of splits that affect Nicaragua in the past few years. Some splits/renames, but nothing that is too hard to follow... Northern Emerald Toucanet, Northern Schiffornis, Common Gallinule, Crowned Woodnymph, Lesser Violetear, Rivoli's Hummingbird, Black-crowned Antshrike, Common Chlorospingus, Russet-naped Wood-Rail, Lesson's Motmot, Cabanis's Wren, Yellow-throated Toucan are what I can come up with with a quick glance back over the past few years AOU supplements. Obviously plenty of scientific name changes and taxonomic order shuffles.
 
I would guess the taxonomy would be up to date with NACC/AOU or pretty close. There haven't been a lot of splits that affect Nicaragua in the past few years. Some splits/renames, but nothing that is too hard to follow... Northern Emerald Toucanet, Northern Schiffornis, Common Gallinule, Crowned Woodnymph, Lesser Violetear, Rivoli's Hummingbird, Black-crowned Antshrike, Common Chlorospingus, Russet-naped Wood-Rail, Lesson's Motmot, Cabanis's Wren, Yellow-throated Toucan are what I can come up with with a quick glance back over the past few years AOU supplements. Obviously plenty of scientific name changes and taxonomic order shuffles.

I need no excuse to buy a new book so based on the splits / re-names you mention, I'll probably get it anyway....B :)



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