Sunbirds of the World

This is a gorgeous book about some of the world’s most gorgeous birds. JARED DIAMOND

Sunbirds of the World explores sunbirds, one of the most striking of all bird groups, known for their dazzling iridescent plumage and long curved bills. These features make sunbirds conspicuous as they visit garden flowers on sunny days to feed on nectar. Some species, especially the females, are duller in appearance and harder to spot, as they feed mostly on insects high up in forest canopies. Spiderhunters, as their name suggests, feed extensively on spiders, while sunbirds' other close relatives, the flowerpeckers, have a particular fondness for mistletoe berries.

This book is the definitive guide on sunbird identification, ecology, and behaviour. Now in its second edition, it has been fully revised and updated to reflect the many developments in sunbird taxonomy, as well as the new research that has been published on their biology. It covers all 218 currently recognised species, providing details of key identification features, voice, habitat, distribution, conservation status, movements, food, and behaviour. New colour art by award-winning artist Richard Allen has been added, and hundreds of high-quality colour photographs beautifully capture every species. Maps accurately depict the geographical distributions of each taxon down to subspecies level.

This beautiful book serves as the definitive reference to the sunbirds, flowerpeckers, spiderhunters, and sugarbirds of the world, and is essential reading for researchers, birders, and conservationists alike.