Birds of Africa South of the Sahara provides unrivalled coverage of African birds in a single volume, and is the first book to describe and illustrate all of the birds found in Africa south of the Sahara Desert (the Afrotropic Region), including Socotra, Pemba and islands in the Gulf of Guinea.* Some 2,105 species are covered, with an additional 70 vagrants briefly described, and more than 2,000 images assembled on 359 plates.* Illustrations portray most distinctive plumages, as well as diagnostic flight patterns and major geographic variants.* Species descriptions give precise identification features, highlighting differences between similar species, as well as briefly reporting habitat, status and calls.* Distribution maps for each species are based on the latest atlas surveys.* The most up-to-date taxonomy is used, with many new species described and illustrated for the first time.Despite its exceptional coverage, this guide is compact enough to use in the field, and follows the standard field guide format, with texts and range maps appearing opposite the color plates.