• The Cape Verde Islands are situated in the extreme southwest of the Western Palearctic, south of the Tropic of Cancer and only around five hundred kilometres west of Senegal....Chris Batty Reports (+ lots of photos)

Bird observations in the Cape Verde Islands 18th – 26th October 2003

• The bird fauna of the Cape Verdes is not very diverse, but it holds a number of interesting, endemic species and subspecies. In this sense, the islands are absolutely worth a visit. Unfortunately, the populations of a number of the endemic breeding bird are declining rapidly, and some are on the brink of extinction. Bannerman’s Buzzard and Cape Verde Peregrine are down to a few tens of pairs...Erling Krabbe reports

Field Guide to the Birds of the Atlantic Islands: Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cape Verde
Tony Clarke: Buy from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

• Long awaited. This excellent guide is the first to deal exclusively with the birds of this spectacular region. It covers all resident, migrant and vagrant species found in Macaronesia which comprises the Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores and Cape Verde. This has to be the field guide of choice for anyone visiting the islands. The status notes on all the birds are particulary welcome.

Collins Bird Guide
Lars Svensson et al: Buy from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

• Described by some as the best field guide in the world, and 15 years in the making. Has it been Worth the Wait?...Yes definately! If you buy just 1 book a year then make sure that its this one. Stunning drawings by the worlds finest bird illustrators..and it shows..check out the plates on tern, Skuas, and the Ducks...not forgetting the Finches and Crossbills.

The Birds of Western Africa
Nik Borrow, Ron Demey: Buy from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

• A major new fieldguide, and a classic from the "Helm" stable that will set the standard for Western Africa for years to come. It covers all the 1282 species expected to be seen in the c.20 nations inside a triangle enclosing The Congo, Chad and Mauritania. For several of the countries it is the only single guide that covers all of the nations birds in one book. Nicely illustrated with over 3000 drawings on 142 colour plates which cover all the species described apart from a few vagrants. Distribution maps are provided for the majority of species. As the first comprehensive guide to the region in over 25 years this is a "must buy" for any serious birder visiting Western Africa.

The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America: Buy from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

• The Sibley Guide to Birds has quickly become the new standard of excellence in bird identification guides, covering more than 810 North American birds in amazing detail. Now comes a new portable guide from David Sibley that every birder will want to carry into the field. Compact and comprehensive, this new guide features 650 bird species plus regional populations found east of the Rocky Mountains.

• I'm just back from Cabo Verde, where I travelled in the company of this guide-book, which was an excellent support. There's no guide on the market as good as this, and having heard of Bradt Publications the first time, I will definitely specifically look for their books in the future...