Robert A. Cheke

Sunbirds of the World

'This is a gorgeous book about some of the world’s most gorgeous birds.' JARED DIAMOND Sunbirds are among the most striking of all bird groups; their dazzling iridescent plumage and long curved bills are conspicuous when the birds visit garden flowers on sunny days to feed on nectar. Some species - especially the females - are duller in appearance and harder to spot, feeding mostly on insects high up in forest canopies. Spiderhunters, as their name suggests, feed extensively on spiders, while sunbirds' other close relatives, the flowerpeckers, are especially partial to mistletoe berries. This book is the last word on sunbird identification, ecology and behaviour. Now in its second edition, it has been fully revised and updated to reflect the many developments that have occurred in sunbird taxonomy, as well as the new research that has been published on their biology. It covers all 218 currently recognised species, providing details of key identification features, voice, habitat, distribution, conservation status, movements, food and behaviour. New colour art by award-winning artist Richard Allen has been added, and hundreds of high-quality colour photographs beautifully capture every species. Maps accurately depict geographical distributions of each taxon to subspecies level. This beautiful book is the definitive reference to the sunbirds, flowerpeckers, spiderhunters and sugarbirds of the world, and is essential reading for researchers, birders and conservationists alike.