Yes. Though I should note it does use cut-out photos rather than paintings to depict the birds. I usually prefer paintings, but make an exception for this book. It's the lightest full guide to NA birds I'm aware of.
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Mexico field guide recommendation? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter YuShan
- Start date
Yes. Though I should note it does use cut-out photos rather than paintings to depict the birds. I usually prefer paintings, but make an exception for this book. It's the lightest full guide to NA birds I'm aware of.
YuShan
Well-known member
Yes, I also prefer paintings. Anyway, good to know about this book. I can order it at quite short notice if needed so I will first see if the Van Perlo is good enough to supplement the H&W when it arrives.
YuShan
Well-known member
Yesterday I received both the Howell&Webb and the Van Perlo guide. 
I'm really impressed how many birds Van Perlo manages to put in such a compact book. And the plates, while very small, are really not bad. In many (most) cases this book would be sufficient.
However, with only Van Perlo I would really struggle with all the hummingbirds and flycatchers etc! So I'm definitely going to bring the H&W as well. And while H&W doesn't have plates of the NA migrants, the descriptions of them are very good.
Together the books are just over 2kg on my kitchen scale! But with this combination I'm confident I won't have too many identification problems. My main concern now it not the weight but having to go back and forth to different pages in different books! It's very impractical, but so be it.
I'm really impressed how many birds Van Perlo manages to put in such a compact book. And the plates, while very small, are really not bad. In many (most) cases this book would be sufficient.
However, with only Van Perlo I would really struggle with all the hummingbirds and flycatchers etc! So I'm definitely going to bring the H&W as well. And while H&W doesn't have plates of the NA migrants, the descriptions of them are very good.
Together the books are just over 2kg on my kitchen scale! But with this combination I'm confident I won't have too many identification problems. My main concern now it not the weight but having to go back and forth to different pages in different books! It's very impractical, but so be it.
Maroon Jay
Airborne
Many of the hummingbirds look alike but have different ranges so checking the maps will eliminate most of them.
YuShan
Well-known member
Yes I agree.
YuShan
Well-known member
Just back from my trip to Mexico (fantastic!), I thought I'll let you guys know how I got on with the field guides.
I brought both the Howell & Webb and the Van Perlo guide. It turned out that most of the time the Van Perlo guide was really sufficient. Actually, there were days that I didn't use the H&W at all! I ended up really liking that little Van Perlo Guide that is so small and light that it simply fits in the side pocket of my trousers. Amazing that it still contains all the birds, including all migrants, waders, etc!
There were a few cases where I was unsure of the identification and that was where H&W proved useful. When reviewing back in my hotelroom in the evening, the better pictures of H&W usually removed any doubts, or the crucial clues were in the excellent text of that book.
However, if I had only the Van Perlo book at my disposal, I would have been able to identify almost all the birds.
I got 334 birds on this trip, using only cheap local transportation (no rental cars), no guides and no playback /pishing. I've seen a lot of the country and really enjoyed myself.
I brought both the Howell & Webb and the Van Perlo guide. It turned out that most of the time the Van Perlo guide was really sufficient. Actually, there were days that I didn't use the H&W at all! I ended up really liking that little Van Perlo Guide that is so small and light that it simply fits in the side pocket of my trousers. Amazing that it still contains all the birds, including all migrants, waders, etc!
There were a few cases where I was unsure of the identification and that was where H&W proved useful. When reviewing back in my hotelroom in the evening, the better pictures of H&W usually removed any doubts, or the crucial clues were in the excellent text of that book.
However, if I had only the Van Perlo book at my disposal, I would have been able to identify almost all the birds.
I got 334 birds on this trip, using only cheap local transportation (no rental cars), no guides and no playback /pishing. I've seen a lot of the country and really enjoyed myself.
...........I got 334 birds on this trip, using only cheap local transportation (no rental cars), no guides and no playback /pishing. I've seen a lot of the country and really enjoyed myself.
Would be great if you could post a trip report in the Trip Report section! How long were you in Mexico?
YuShan
Well-known member
It was not just a birding trip, though birding was a very important part of it. I spent 6 weeks travelling, starting on Cozumel and ending in Chihuahua. The whole 6 week trip costed me less than 22000 pesos (about $1265) including everything in Mexico (but excluding the flight from/to England). I Really enjoyed it
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