Sasol oorsiglys van voëls in Suider-Afrika

Peacocks & Picathartes is a celebration of the diversity of African birds, focusing on families that occur only in Africa as well as iconic families and species that, despite having close relatives in other parts of the world, seem to embody something of Africa.

Watson’s anecdotal style captures vividly his encounters with prized species, such the secretive White-necked Picathartes and the elusive Congo Peacock. He conveys the sheer delight mousebirds take in ‘being what they are’, and reveals the surprise discovery in 1991 of a new partridge in Tanzania’s Udzungwa Mountains.

Drawing on precolonial and current-day avian accounts, he offers his own insights based on a lifetime of personal observations in the wilds of Africa – recounting unforgettable expeditions, quirky bird behaviour, jittery taxonomy, moments of rare good luck – and much more. Both informative and entertaining, this book captures the essence of African birdlife, and will appeal to bird enthusiasts across the spectrum.

This Commemorative edition of Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa at once updates a classic and pays tribute to one of the region’s best loved birding authors, the late Kenneth Newman. With the support of bird expert Faansie Peacock, the author’s daughter, Vanessa Newman, has thoroughly revised, updated and expanded this new edition to reflect the latest research, both in terms of text and illustrations. Covering all the birds recorded from the Antarctic to the Zambezi River, its range includes the birds from the southern seas as well as those of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and Mozambique. The familiar, user-friendly format of Newman’s Birds uses colour coding to indicate major bird groups and, as always, large accurate paintings of each species reflect the bird as it is seen in the field, now labeled with diagnostic features. A revised introductory section takes readers step-by-step through how to use this latest edition of Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa in the field.

Also available in Afrikaans as Newman se Voëls van Suider-Afrika.

• Descriptions and photos of 101 garden birds
• How to get to know your local species, their feeding, breeding, calls and general behaviour
• How to design your garden to attract the widest range of birds and other wildlife
• The best plants and structures to provide food and shelter for birds
• Detailed lists of recommended trees, shrubs, climbers, aloes and grasses