Atlas of rare birds.

London: New Holland, 2010.
Quarto, laminated boards, 240 pp. colour photographs, maps.

A reference guide to some of the rarest birds in existence, brought together by the maps showing where in the world you can find them. The book focuses on 50 captivating stories of the very rare, including remarkable discoveries of species new to science, rediscoveries of species not seen for centuries and 'back from the brink of extinction' successes like Seychelles Magpie-Robin and California Condor. Each species has its own mini-chapter and the book is broken down into key groups of species, with the five most amazing tales of island endemics, five most bizarre cases of a bird becoming threatened, and so on. This is an accessible, readable and visually appealing take on a serious subject of threatened birds and possible extinctions - a topic that is constantly in the news due to increasing concerns over climate change and habitat destruction. The atlas format shows the global nature of the problem and brings together the many strands of the concerted bird conservation effort that is taking place on every continent. It also lends and element of accessibility to the reader as many of the species featured can be watched on birding tours.