A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Southeast Asia [antikvár]

INTRODUCTION The joy of birdwatching Birds fascinate us more than any other group of fauna, perhaps because birds are found everywhere. They have colonised all corners of the earth, from the most inhospitable Arctic and Antarctic regions to bone-dry subtropical deserts and remote oceanic islands. Their dazzling power of flight never ceases to amaze us, and, perhaps most important of all, they are relatively easy to observe, since birds are usually active by day and thrive in our near surroundings. Also, their senses are much like our own—they rely mainly on eyesight and hearing—and therefore react much like we do and are easy for us to identify with. You can watch birds from your window wherever you live. When you walk out into the nearby park or field there will be more birds to see. If you observe closely you will begin to recognise new species,- some you see each time you go out, while others are rare and only turn up once in a while or at certain times of the year. Most birdwatchers develop a local patch where they go regularly. When you travel to another habitat, region, country, or even another altitude, you will find different birds to watch. It is this wonderful diversity that makes birdwatching so exciting. Even though birds have been studied more thoroughly than any other class of animal, new information still surfaces every year. In 1991 a group of young Danish scientists found a new species of pheasant, the Udzungwa Forest-partridge, deep in the forests of Tanzania in Africa. This pheasant turned out to be related to the Arhorophila hill-partridges of Southeast Asia, and was placed in its own monotypic genus when described in 1994. For details see del Hoyo et al. Vol 2 (1994). Other new species still turn up once in a while, adding to the 9,704 species already recognised by Collar et al (1994). And since taxonomic studies are on-going (see How to Use This Book) more discoveries and changes can be expected in future years. The study and interpretation of bird behavior and habits also continues. For a marvellous worldwide collection of new and astonishing information see David Attenborough's television series, The Life of