Birds of Chile - (Princeton Field Guides) by Alvaro Jaramillo (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

This is the essential new field guide to the birds of Chile. Representing a great diversity of habitats, from the Andes in the north down to the tundra and sub-Antarctic rainforest of Tierra del Fuego in the far south, Chile is the breeding ground or temporary abode of 473 known species including 9 found nowhere else in the world. Birds of Chile covers them all, embracing not only the mainland but points offshore such as Easter Island as well as the Antarctic Peninsula and adjacent islands, plus the Falklands and South Georgia. In addition to being a friendly and fruitful birding destination in its own right, Chile is the starting point for many Antarctic cruises.

Succinct, identification-focused text and distribution maps share a page opposite each of the 97 color plates to allow quick and easy reference. Between the boldfaced English name and the scientific name comes the Spanish name as used in Chile; this is important, for birders will find their quest far more enjoyable and effectual if they can explain to Chileans exactly what they are looking at, think they are looking at, or hope to be looking at.

Since Chile's list of resident species is yet far from conclusive, vagrants and rarities are also included. Indeed, some birds once thought to be accidentals in Chile have since proved to be regulars, including the Westland Petrel, Least Sandpiper, Cliff Swallow, and Golden-billed Saltator. Compact, comprehensive, and easy to use, Birds of Chile is the essential field guide to the birds of this spectacular and tourist-friendly country.

• The essential new field guide to the birds of Chile


• 97 color plates with succinct text and maps on facing pages for quick reference and easy identification


• All 473 known species breeding in or visiting Chile, from the Andes in the north down to the tundra and sub-Antarctic rainforest of Tierra del Fuego in the south


• Also covers points offshore such as Easter Island as well as the Antarctic Peninsula and adjacent islands, plus the Falklands and South Georgia


• Compact, portable, and user-friendly

From the Back Cover

"Rarely does a field guide of this caliber debut as its country's first. Birds of Chile offers not just perfect field-portability, beautiful and accurate artwork with facing text, and clarity and conciseness throughout: it presents genuinely new scholarship on the field identification of several cryptic and difficult groups, as well as on the modern geographic distribution of Chile's birds. Those who bird Chile will find the combined brilliance of Jaramillo, Burke, and Beadle indispensable in the field and by the fireside."--Ned Brinkley, Editor, North American Birds

Review Quotes

"Winner of the 2003 Best Bird Book - South America, Worldtwitch"

About the Author

Alvaro Jaramillo was born in Santiago, Chile, and raised in Toronto, Canada. He is currently a wildlife biologist for the Coyote Creek Riparian Station in San Jose, California. He also leads birding tours in North and South America, and is the author of several bird books, including New World Blackbirds (Princeton). That book was illustrated by Peter Burke, who has traveled throughout South America and Mexico as a professional bird artist. David Beadle has illustrated several bird and nature books including A Guide to the Identification and Natural History of Sparrows of the United States and Canada (Princeton).