Gabriel Ellison

Basics: 1993, softcover, 92 pages, 12 color plates, 111 species, no range maps

This small book is described by the author as a first identification guide for adults and to meet the interest of the country’s youth. The author does a good job at selecting some of the more prevalent or interesting birds to display to the budding and casual birder.

The 12 color plates illustrate 111 of Zambia’s 740+ species. Although lacking the detail found in a more complete guide required by the avid birder, these plates are painted nicely and will help the owner of this book identify many of the common Zambian birds.

The text for each bird is about 1/3 of a page in length. It offers brief notes on identification along with habitat, habits, status, and voice. Again, this information is not in depth, but it certainly meets the goal of offering the novice birder useful information to begin learning the country’s birds.

The first 21 pages give introductory coverage of several topics that should generally be known by anyone wanting to learn more about birds. These include tips on how to identify birds, notes on habitat types and migration, and a background on breeding and conservation.

This book will be helpful for those wanting to first learn about the Zambian birds. It is also a good resource to give to the young naturalist or to anyone casually interested in birds without overwhelming them.

I’ve listed several related books below…
1) The Birds of Zambia by Benson
2) A Field Guide to Zambian Birds Not Found in Southern Africa by Aspinwall
3) Birds of Botswana by Newman
4) The birds of Zimbabwe by Irwin
5) Larger Illustrated Guide to Birds of Southern Africa by Sinclair/Arlott
6) Newman's Birds of Southern Africa by Newman
7) Southern African Birds: A Photographic Guide by Sinclair
8) Complete Book of Southern African Birds by BHB International… (mais)