topics: |  birding | asia

East Asia = Japanese archipelago, Taiwan, Korean Peninsula and parts of eastern China and Russia.

985 species, 236 plates + 19 "extralimital that may occur"

taxonomy based on western journals, since "ornithological societies in the region tend to follow rather than lead taxonomic trends."

Collar (2003): Asian avifauna may be significantly "overlumped" relative to other regions of the world. p.7

region’s avifauna urgently requires rigorous taxonomic research using the latest techniques... currently there is much that is contentious and contradictory regarding the status of various taxa. Taxonomic changes are continuously altering the status and it is difficult to reach agreement over which taxa are accepted at the specific or subspecific levels at a given time; no doubt changes will occur even as the book goes to press.

Whereas in Europe and North America a long history of ornithological research and amateur birding have led to the avifaunas there being relatively well understood ... decades ahead likely to see considerable advances in species limits for East Asia.

Field identification criteria for some, (esp. newly split) species still
evolving, e.g. Parus major, P. minor and P. cinereus: N. Great Tit,
E. Great Tit, Southern Great Tit (only last is in India)

English Names

English names vary considerably from one book to the next, and
convention may sway first one way then another...

where people have long been commemorated in bird names I have opted for these
[rather than the duller options]:
	I feel that such names greatly enrich ornithology, rather than the
	(to my mind) drabber, less personal names that have become in
	vogue. Thus, for example, I favour retaining the colourful bush robin
	of Taiwan as Johnstone’s, rather than the uninspiring and
	unenlightening Collared Bush Robin, and the enigmatic and endangered
	woodpecker of the Ryukyu Islands as Pryer’s Woodpecker rather than
	the rather boring Okinawa Woodpecker, albeit correct (although, to be
	truly accurate, surely Yambaru Woodpecker would be more
	geographically accurate, as it is known only from the northern
	Yambaru district of Okinawa).  p.8

contains a section describing the 60+ bird families (also based on
dickinson 2003.

Illustrations by

Dave Nurney (main), with Per Alström, Carl D’Silva, Martin Elliott, Kim
Franklin, Alan Harris, Ren Hathway, Hans Larsson, Derek Onley, Christopher
Schmidt, Brian Small, Laurel Tucker, Tim Worfolk and Bill Zetterström
[illustration copyright is with the artists, so some of Carl D'Silva's work
may also appear in other books, say]

after a sufficient number of encounters,
	you will build up a recognition pattern of features that make most
	species distinctive, even when seen in silhouette or in poor light –
	this combination of characters/features is known as the bird’s
	‘jizz’, a kind of subliminal gestalt of what the bird looks like and
	how it moves. p.8

Organization

follows :
   Dickinson, E. C. (ed.). 2003. The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of
   the Birds of the World. 3d ed. Christopher Helm)

Non-Passerines : Plates 1–130

Grouse, pheasants, partridges and quails (Phasianidae) 23/180 1–6
     [note: numbers 23/180 = species in region / species worldwide]
            1-6 = plate numbers

Swans, geese and ducks (Anatidae) 64/158 7–21
    [these wetland birds] share webbed feet and a ... short, rather
    flattened bill often with lamellae along the edges and a nail at the
    tip. They have short legs, many have long necks, and powerful wings –
    many are long-distance migrants – and they fly with continuous fast
    wing beats, often audible.

    All of the long-necked geese and swans fly with their necks extended,
    and do not glide or soar.  Larger waterfowl (swans, geese and
    shelducks) exhibit little sexual dimorphism. Swans and geese are
    essentially monogamous, and social, following traditional migration
    routes in family groups and large flocks in wavering lines and Vs;
    geese in particular may gather spectacularly at massed roosts. Geese
    typically walk and graze and have strong bills often with serrated
    edges; they have strong legs, walk strongly and can take off easily
    from land.

    Smaller waterfowl (dabbling Anas and diving Aythya) are typically
    strongly dimorphic, and the bright plumaged males usually assume a
    post-breeding eclipse plumage, often retained into early
    winter. Juvenile birds and eclipse males more closely resemble the
    cryptic females. Many species perform pair formation displays in late
    winter while still on wintering grounds. Out-of-range individuals are
    often attracted to large flocks of locally common species. p.14

  - Dabbling ducks 28/42 12–15
  - Diving ducks 19/63 16–20
  - Sawbills 5/6 21

Divers (Gaviidae) 5/5 22
Albatrosses (Diomedeidae) 4/13 23
Petrels and shearwaters (Procellariidae) 22/74 24–28
Storm-petrels (Hydrobatidae) 7/21 29–30
Grebes (Podicipedidae) 5/22 31
Storks (Ciconiidae) 4/19 32
Ibises and spoonbills (Threskiornithidae) 6/32 33–34
Herons, bitterns and egrets (Ardeidae) 23/65 34–39
Tropicbirds (Phaethontidae) 2/3 40
Frigatebirds (Fregatidae) 3/5 40
Pelicans (Pelecanidae) 3/7 41
Gannets and boobies (Sulidae) 3/10 42
Cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae) 5/36 43
Falcons (Falconidae) 9/64 44–46
Buzzards, eagles, vultures and allies (Accipitridae) 41/233 46–56
Bustards (Otidae) 2/26 57
Rails and crakes (Rallidae) 15/141 57–60
Cranes (Gruidae) 7/15 61–62
Buttonquails (Turnicidae) 3/16 63
Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae) 2/11 63
Ibisbill (Ibidorhynchidae) 1/1 64
Stilts and avocets (Recurvirostridae) 2/7 64
Plovers (Charadriidae) 16/66 64–68
Painted-snipe (Rostratulidae) 1/2 69
Jacanas (Jacanidae) 1/8 68
Sandpipers, woodcock and snipe (Scolopacidae) 58/92 69–84
Phalaropes 3/3 85
Coursers and pratincoles (Glareolidae) 1/18 85
Gulls and terns (Laridae) 50/97 86–100
Skuas (Stercorariidae) 4/7 101–102
Auks (Alcidae) 18/23 103–107
Sandgrouse (Pteroclididae) 1/16 107
Pigeons and doves (Columbidae) 17/308 108–111
Cockatoos (Cacatuidae) and parrots (Psittacidae) 8/364 112
Cuckoos (Cuculidae) 12/138 113–115
Barn owls (Tytonidae) 1/15 115
True owls (Strigidae) 21/180 116–120
Nightjars (Caprimulgidae) 2/89 121
Swifts (Apodidae) 6/94 121–122
Hummingbirds (Trochilidae) 1/331 122
Trogons (Trogonidae) 1/39 122
Rollers (Coraciidae) 1/12 123
Kingfishers (Alcedinidae) 8/91 123–124
Bee-eaters (Meropidae) 3/25 125
Hoopoe (Upupidae) 1/1 125
Toucans and barbets (Ramphastidae) 2/120 126
Woodpeckers (Picidae) 19/210 126–130

PASSERINES Plates 131–235

Pittas (Pittidae) 2/30 131
Shrike-flycatchers and allies (Platysteiridae) 1/32 131
Woodswallows (Artamidae) 1/10 131
Cuckoo-shrikes (Campephagidae) 6/81 131–133
Shrikes (Laniidae) 7/30 133–135
Orioles (Oriolidae) 2/29 135–136
Drongos (Dicruridae) 4/22 136
Monarchs (Monarchidae) 3/87 137
Crows, jays and magpies (Corvidae) 19/117 138–141
Waxwings (Bombycillidae) 2/8 142
Tits (Paridae) 13/54 142–145
Swallows and martins (Hirundinidae) 11/84 146–148
Long-tailed tits (Aegithalidae) 2/11 149
Larks (Alaudidae) 8/92 149–151
Cisticolas and prinias (Cisticolidae) 8/110 151–153
Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae) 10/118 153–155
Old World warblers (Sylviidae) 52/265 156–169
Babblers and parrotbills (Timaliidae) 34/273 169–178
White-eyes (Zosteropidae) 3/95 179
Crests (Regulidae) 3/5 180
Wrens (Troglodytidae) 1/76 180
Nuthatches (Sittidae) 3/25 181
Treecreepers (Certhiidae) 1/8 181
Starlings (Sturnidae) 14/115 181–184
Thrushes (Turdidae) 28/165 184–191
Chats, robins and flycatchers (Muscicapidae) 56/275 192–207
Dippers (Cinclidae) 1/5 208
Leafbirds (Chloropseidae) 1/8 208
Flowerpeckers (Dicaeidae) 3/44 208
Sunbirds (Nectariniidae) 1/127 208
Sparrows and snowfinches (Passeridae) 4/40 209
Weavers (Ploceidae) 2/40 210
Waxbills and munias (Estrildidae) 9/130 210–212
Indigobirds and whydahs (Viduidae) 1/20 212
Accentors (Prunellidae) 4/13 213
Pipits and wagtails (Motacillidae) 17/64 214–218
Finches (Fringillidae) 24/168 219–224
New World warblers (Parulidae) 4/112 225
New World blackbirds (Icteridae) 2/98 226
Buntings and New World sparrows (Emberizidae) 34/308 227–235

links:
website: http://sites.google.com/site/birdsofeastasia

blurb

Eastern Asia - covering the major islands off the continental coast
(including Japan and Taiwan) and the immediately adjacent areas of the Asian
continent from Kamchatka in the north and including the Korean Peninsula -
are an important centre of endemism. Birds endemic to this region include
representatives of many of the major families, from the world's largest eagle
- Steller's Sea Eagle - to the tiny Formosan Firecrest. The east Asian
continental coast and the offshore islands also form one of the world's major
international bird migration routes, especially for waterfowl, shorebirds and
raptors, while the east Asian continental mainland itself is home to a wide
range of species little known to western ornithologists such as Scaly-sided
Merganser, Oriental Stork and Mugimaki Flycatcher.

The guide features the most up-to-date text available, which, in
conjunction with extensive colour plates throughout, facilitates the field
identification of all of the species known from the region. Colour
distribution maps enhance the text by providing a visual analysis of the
summer, winter and migratory ranges of all species.