"Birds of Central America — Belize, Guatemala Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama." Newest in the Princeton University Press field guide series. Authors are Andrew C. Vallely and Dale Dyer,
The book covers 1,261 species. The illustrations are well done, the text far more complete than found in the usual North American ID book. The range maps are distinctly presented and excellent. (Range maps usually are my first complaint about such books.)
As an example of the extensive information included here for each species, compare the text for Limpkin from David Sibley's fine North American guide and this Vallely/Dyer book. Sibley uses 78 words. Vallely and Dyer use more than 180. That kind of detail is found page after page.
Princeton has built a record as an outstanding source of field guides for countries around the world. This first comprehensive guide to a much-visited birding area is a valuable addition to that set.
Flexible cover, 582 pages, index, thousands of illustrations covering plumage differences by age, sex, and distribution.
Side note: I was curious about the extent of world coverage in the birding field guides Princeton University Press carries on its list. I counted 63 countries covered entirely or in part (for instance, Western Africa), including this newest book.
