Bharat Bhushan

Basics: 1993, softcover, 224 pages, 82 color plates, 327 species, no range maps

Combining an eclectic group of birds, this field guide features the Asian, non-passerine species that are more-or-less associated with water. This includes a few stone-curlews, cranes, and storks not typically found around water. These birds are included merely out of family association. The range of this book does not cover all of Asia, but just the eastern half with the western edge defined approximately by Pakistan and central Russia. Indonesia marks the southern boundary. In all, 24 countries are covered.

The many families of water birds include loons, grebes, pelicans, and cormorants; herons, storks, ibis, and waterfowl; cranes, rails, and shorebirds; and, the gulls and terns. Not found in this book are the pelagic species such as albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters, auklets, and murres. The skuas and jaegars are also absent.

The color plates do a good job at illustrating the 327 species. Both standing and in-flight poses are offered along with the various plumages associated with the different seasons and ages. The quality artwork should help to identify most species. These plates might also appear familiar to you. Many of the illustrations come directly from the earlier book “A Field Guide to the Wild Birds of Taiwan by Wu” in 1991 (Chinese only) and used again in a later book “A Field Guide to the Birds of Korea by Lee/Koo/Park” in 2000. This waterbirds book has added some new illustrations along with some improved retouches on the earlier Taiwan book.

Most of the text on each bird focuses on description and identification. The identification notes are concise and clear. Often included are specific tips on separating similar shorebird species. A small amount of information is also given for subspecies and races.

There are two other notes to mention about this book. One, is the checklist of species in the back. It contains a column for each of the 24 countries. Second, aa nice touch, the plates show the Pink-headed Duck and the Crested Shelduck, both now presumed extinct.

This would be an odd guide to carry into the field by itself considering the narrow range of species. If you wanted to focus on only a select group of bird such as just waterfowl, shorebirds, gulls, or terns, there are other larger, more complete, and more extensively illustrated books available that specialize on just these particular families. This is a good book, but just a little awkward in how it can be used.

I’ve listed several related books below…
1) A Field Guide to the Birds of Japan by WBSJ
2) A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Japan and East Asia by Shimba
3) Birds of Hong Kong and South China, 8th ed., by Viney/Phillipps
4) A Field Guide to the Birds of China by MacKinnon/Phillipps
5) A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Hong Kong by HKBS
6) A Field Guide to the Birds of Korea by Lee/Koo/Park
7) A Field Guide to the Wild Birds of Taiwan by Wu
8) A Guide to the Birds of Southeast Asia by Robson
9) Birds of South Asia – Volumes 1&2 by Rasmussen
10) A Field Guide to Birds of the USSR by Flint… (mere)