[Richard Klim]

Porter, Aspinall, Gale, Langman & Small 2010. Helm Field Guides: Birds of the Middle East. 2nd Edition. Christopher Helm, London.
Paperback, 384pp, 176 colour plates, 636 maps. RRP £29.99.

Just received my copy, £23.99 (post free) from A&C Black:
http://www.acblack.com/naturalhistor...he+Middle+East

With the advance publicity stating that the 2nd Edition would include more than 100 new species, I speculated elsewhere that the area of coverage might have increased to include Egypt and perhaps even parts of the Caucasus and Central Asia. But no, the scope remains the same as the original, viz the region bounded by Turkey, Iran, the Arabian Peninsula (including the Socotra Archipelago), the Levant and Cyprus.

The introduction states that over 130 additional species and recognisable subspecies have been incorporated, resulting from taxonomic changes or new occurrences (including additional introduced exotics); and that over 850 spp and sspp are depicted and described in all.

As promised, a more practical layout has been adopted, with the full text as well as maps facing the colour plates. The distribution maps now show resident, migrant breeding and passage/winter ranges. This is a significant enhancement compared with the 1st edition (which mapped breeding ranges only), although it would have been even more useful if wintering and passage ranges were shown separately – perhaps there are still inadequate data to allow this to be implemented consistently.

Sequence, taxonomy and nomenclature follow the OSME Region List:
http://www.osme.org/orl/orl.shtml

[Socotra Buzzard Buteo socotraensis Porter & Kirwan 2010 is of course included! ]

Richard

[Pariah]

Any links to some of the plates Richard?

Owen

[Stitch]

There's a link to some of John Gales here Owen - http://www.galleryofbirds.co.uk/MIDDLE_EAST_PLATES.htm

Stitch

[Richard Klim]

Originally Posted by Pariah

Any links to some of the plates Richard?
Owen

You get a blurry squint in this video:
http://www.birdlife.org/community/20...d-porter-video

Richard

[Richard Klim]

To give some idea of the scope of taxonomic changes wrt the 1st edition, I've posted a summary on the Bird Taxonomy & Nomenclature forum:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=179433

Richard

[Richard Klim]

More background from Richard Porter:
http://www.birdlife.org/community/20...he-middle-east

Richard

[Swissboy]

Originally Posted by Richard Klim

To give some idea of the scope of taxonomic changes wrt the 1st edition, I've posted a summary on the Bird Taxonomy & Nomenclature forum:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=179433

Richard

Thank you, Richard, for this link and the most illuminating compilation. It shows how easy it can become to substantially increase the number of species covered! Maybe, publishers should sponsor systematic research.

Aside from this, could you comment on your impressions of this new edition, please. The link given by Stitch opens some very attractive looking plates, I think. But they were mostly attractive in the first edition as well.

[Richard Klim]

Originally Posted by Swissboy

...could you comment on your impressions of this new edition, please. The link given by Stitch opens some very attractive looking plates, I think. But they were mostly attractive in the first edition as well.

The introduction states: "The illustrations, by John Gale, Mike Langman and Brian Small, are mainly from the previous edition but include a great many that are new, while a few others, by John Gale and Brian Small, have been reproduced from Birds of the Horn of Africa (Redman et al. 2009)." Also: "we describe all recognisable taxa known to occur in the region."

There are now 176 plates, cf 112 in the previous edition - a 57% increase. My impression is that the new and redesigned plates are to a generally higher standard - after all, the three illustrators have 42 more years of experience to draw on! Even the reused images seem to be sharper, with more contrast and colour saturation - the plates in my 1996 version seem rather washed-out in comparison (but maybe they've just faded over the years?).

It's interesting that even with the much larger numbers of taxa and plates, and despite unchanged page size, the 2nd Edition runs to only 384 pages. The previous version had 476 pages (plus 10 blank), due to the larger font used for the (separate) species accounts and the sometimes wasted space on the map pages facing the plates.

I miss the double-page region map inside the front and rear covers of the previous version. The region map in the 2nd edition is inside the front cover only, and occupies little more than half a page. It actually includes greater detail, but the much smaller scale, miniscule legends and use of rather dark grey shading make it hard work to read (for me anyway!).

But definitely a must-have for birding in the Arabian Peninsula or Iran. And even though Svensson et al 2009 provides good coverage of Turkey, Cyprus and the Levant, it's nice to have a more regionally-focused up-to-date field guide for those areas too.

Richard

[Swissboy]

Originally Posted by Richard Klim

...., it's nice to have a more regionally-focused up-to-date field guide for those areas too.

Richard

That's why I ordered a copy too. It's also good to have another set of illustrations to compare.

Thanks for the advance details, though.

As for the hard to read region map, I really think it's a shame such details are still not given sufficient attention. It may have looked fine in the original size, yet the reduction was then not taken into account. Or else, the layout was done by some young chaps who can't relate to older users' less optimal eyes.

[Parker]

It sounds like a must have book if you've an interest in Middle Eastern birding, I'll have to get a copy, soon.

Neil.

[Swissboy]

Got my copy today, just GBP 20.85 incl postage to Switzerland. Can't complain about this, as well as the fast delivery.

I'd like to provide some first impressions. I should first say that I'm collecting field guides whether I'll ever have a chance to go to a certain area or not. And my preliminary judgment thus is based mostly on optical appearance and not on actual accuracy. I'll leave that to others who are better acquainted with the area.

Well, my first feeling was kind of WOW, what a fine and attractive book. I definitely like the new arrangement and the more informative distribution maps. Many, or most, illustrations have been retained from the first edition, but they are often larger now as the plates are now much less crowded. Thus, there are now two plates for the seven species of nightjars. In this particular case, however, I liked the possibility of comparing all the species on the same page in the first edition. In many other cases, the spreading over more pages has been most welcome, however. Some species illustrations have been redone without any obvious benefit as far as I can see. A case in point being the sandgrouse, though the larger illustrations per se are welcome. In some cases, the new illustrations are of quite inferior quality as far as I'm concerned. In particular, I think the terns are now of a quality like one could find decades ago. It's mostly the proportions in the flying birds that I think are off, way too slim.

In at least one case, the first edition had an additional illustration. Thus the flight picture of the Rufous Turtle Dove is now missing.

Some confusion arises when comparing species names.
Thus, I first thought the Indian Hawk Cuckoo Cuculus varius was missing. But it is still present, it only changed both names to Common Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius. Another example of the disservice modern systematics does to birders.

The text is now opposite the plate, combined with the range map. But the information is still about equally complete as in the first edition where the text was on separate pages. Well done indeed. I also like the somewhat more compact format of the paperback edition, compared to my hardcover first edition.

[Swissboy]

As I can no longer edit my previous post, here are some additions:

In addition to following a new species sequence now (which needs some getting accustomed to, but is no real problem), the systematics of the large gulls has been thoroughly updated, with a fine series of new illustrations as well. An interesting new feature is a special spread called Comparison Plate for the large white-headed gulls. It includes a moult table.

There is another additional feature, a plate called Non-native Weavers, Bishops & Allies. Species on this "escapes" plate get less text and no range maps. Thus, the Red Avadavat has now lost its distribution map compared to the first edition.

Finally, a most welcome change is the fact that plates 111 and 112 of the first edition have now been integrated into the regular sequence. Thus, one is less likely to overlook the fact that there is an illustration of some rarer species or vagrant, like the Egyption Plover or the Lesser Moorhen.

There is some unnecessary irritation in the arrangement of flight illustrations in some few cases. Thus, in both plates of the nightjars, there is one species that has the back and bottom views switched. As illustrations had to be rearranged anyway, it should have been possible to deal with this matter. It was the same problem in the first edition, but because of the way these pictures were arranged there, the irritation was not that obvious.

Overall, I consider this new edition a vast improvement, well worth buying even if one already has the first edition.

[Richard Klim]

Originally Posted by Swissboy

An interesting new feature is a special spread called Comparison Plate for the large white-headed gulls. It includes a moult table.

Yes, the large white-headed gulls get much improved coverage. It will hopefully increase the knowledge of wintering heuglini/barabensis/cachinnans in the Arabian Peninsula - often left unidentified by both visiting and local birders!

Richard

[Richard Klim]

A derivative title is in the pipeline...

• Aspinall & Porter. Birds of the United Arab Emirates.
  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Birds-United...9952334&sr=1-1
  www.nhbs.com/title.php?bkfno=191297&ad_id=562
  "The UAE is an increasingly popular tourist destination, with a good infrastructure for visitors. This new field guide is based on the bestselling Birds of the Middle East (2nd edition) and covers all the birds of these Gulf states. The new text written by Simon Aspinall and Richard Porter is specific to the Gulf, and new maps are provided for all breeding birds and regular visitors. The plates are recomposed from Birds of the Middle East, with three extra plates of introduced species."

[Richard Klim]

Richard Porter, British Birds: The power of the book.

[Swissboy]

Originally Posted by Richard Klim

Richard Porter, British Birds: The power of the book.

Thank you Richard for this link. Really a great and heart-warming report. And many thanks to Richard Porter!