Field Guide to the Birds of the West Indies
0ed71016-d8bd-432d-b1a5-e7b98a349d5a
Although this is termed a ‘field guide’, in his own introduction writer and illustrator Norman Arlott describes it as a pocket book, which in many ways is what it is: compact and small enough to fit into a large pocket or small bag. The cover is beautiful and this high level of design is maintained inside, the stunningly attractive plates being printed throughout on high-quality glossy paper, with the text opposite on the left-hand side.
I used it on a trip to St Lucia, but for good measure I also took the equivalent Helm guide. The most immediate difference is the quality of the artwork. Although Arlott’s are relentlessly functional, being laid out in side-on poses in classic Peterson style, his beautifully crafted, neat and crisp paintings are by far the more accomplished. All his birds are immaculate, whereas many of those in the Helm guide are in rather awkward poses or appear somewhat moth-eaten. Despite this, there are a few of Arlott’s that do not quite capture the true feel of the birds, the Catharus thrushes being a good example.
The text is minimal, with each species allocated about half a dozen lines, divided into field notes (which do not include plumage details – these are to be gleaned from the illustrations), voice, habitat and distribution. The latter brings me to one of the most significant differences between the two books: that of the distribution maps. In Arlott, the maps are separated from the text in a 62-page section at the back of the book, whereas in the Helm guide, they are located within the text. Having said that, Arlott’s maps include far more species, omitting only vagrants and most naturalised species. But I found the need to constantly flick back and forth between the text/illustrations and the maps extremely irritating.
The other failing is the fact that there is a conspicuous absence of juvenile and immature plumages, this being particularly obvious with the waders, skuas, gulls and terns, the illustrations of which show only breeding and non-breeding adults.
It is perhaps because of these omissions that this book is indeed more accurately classed as a pocket guide rather than a field guide. If one accepts it on that level, then it is ideal for the more casual birder, particularly anyone visiting the region for a family holiday or with little time for heavy-duty birding.
I used it on a trip to St Lucia, but for good measure I also took the equivalent Helm guide. The most immediate difference is the quality of the artwork. Although Arlott’s are relentlessly functional, being laid out in side-on poses in classic Peterson style, his beautifully crafted, neat and crisp paintings are by far the more accomplished. All his birds are immaculate, whereas many of those in the Helm guide are in rather awkward poses or appear somewhat moth-eaten. Despite this, there are a few of Arlott’s that do not quite capture the true feel of the birds, the Catharus thrushes being a good example.
The text is minimal, with each species allocated about half a dozen lines, divided into field notes (which do not include plumage details – these are to be gleaned from the illustrations), voice, habitat and distribution. The latter brings me to one of the most significant differences between the two books: that of the distribution maps. In Arlott, the maps are separated from the text in a 62-page section at the back of the book, whereas in the Helm guide, they are located within the text. Having said that, Arlott’s maps include far more species, omitting only vagrants and most naturalised species. But I found the need to constantly flick back and forth between the text/illustrations and the maps extremely irritating.
The other failing is the fact that there is a conspicuous absence of juvenile and immature plumages, this being particularly obvious with the waders, skuas, gulls and terns, the illustrations of which show only breeding and non-breeding adults.
It is perhaps because of these omissions that this book is indeed more accurately classed as a pocket guide rather than a field guide. If one accepts it on that level, then it is ideal for the more casual birder, particularly anyone visiting the region for a family holiday or with little time for heavy-duty birding.
- Birds of the West Indies by Norman Arlott (HarperCollins, London, 2010).
- 240 pages, 80 colour plates.
- ISBN 9780007277186. Hbk, £29.99. Birdwatch Bookshop from £22.99.
