Birds of Mexico and Central America (Princeton Illustrated Checklists)

The best field guide in my collection, far surpassing the Audubon book I own. Very easy to use, very easy to identify birds with, and it provides a plethora of additional information including rarity, maps of population densities, what the song sounds like, and more. I was able to identify all but one of the 157 species I came across while in Mexico on a field study course at my university; the final one that I could not identify with the book had to be identified by a local bird expert due to its extreme rarity. The only downfall of the book is a slightly strange order of bird groups, but mostly they are in the typical order and easy to access.I highly recommend this book to both the casual and experienced birder.

One reviewer mentioned "openly envious" Howell & Webb users. I think that may be a bit of hyperbole. I am one of those people who have separated the Howell & Webb plates (from a worn copy) for use in the field. I also carry the old Peterson & Chalif guide when birding down Mexico way, but the Howell-Webb plates volume is easily the most used. This illustrated checklist by Van Perlo really doesn't change that. It is what it claims to be: an illustrated checklist. It helps a birder in the field narrow down the choices readily by portraying many species per page and offering succinct diagnostic and distribution information on a facing page. But until someone does for Mexico what Garrigues and Dean did for Costa Rica, that will have to suffice. I recommend that any birder unfamiliar with the majority of species in Mexico and Central America (which includes me) take this volume along as one useful supplement. Just don't expect a field guide in the tradition of Peterson or National Geographic or Garrigues-Dean or Howell-Webb.

I birded several Mexico places with this little fieldguide booklet.. it was perfect for me!... I had experience birdng (not good book for the beginner or amateur) so it was eeezy.. in fact, better, faster, greater than birding a year or two later with the big MEXICO and CENTRAL AMERICA field guide...even illustrations are not as good as in other Princeton illustrated mini field guides, they were enough good to ID all species in the field...nice book, worth!!

Excellent guide book. Helpful and well written with wonderful pictures. Not too big or bulky and not too small. Perfect for taking on a trip or using at home.

All of the criticisms mentioned in the previous reviews are warrented, this book is not perfect (see plate 97 and check out Orchard Oriole). In fact I was a bit annoyed by the frequent overlap of the text reference and the page with the color plates. For example on Plate 74 there are 19 illustrated Wrens but if you check for the names on the facing page it starts with three pipit species, covers only 12 of the wrens then you have to look at the following page to see what the other seven wren species are. Also I had wished that the range maps would be on the text page opposite the illustrations (as in the European Princeton Guide) but they are in the back of the book. This may be due to necessity as there are so many species included. There is a code listed at the end of the text for each species for the range that if you get used to it is a general indicator. For example YMe = Yucatan area of Mexico and SMe,CAm = South Mexico and Central America. The range maps at the back of the book are very tiny and only a bit better indicator of range. A positive attribute of the range maps is that they are coded to likelihood of occurance, which is of additional impact compared to most range maps.Another of the many advantages of this book is that it includes the North American Migrants not included in Howell's book. The illustrations are tiny, and that does matter when you are studying the different Myiarchus flycatchers,something better left to when you get back to your room or lodge where the hefty Howell guide is. You also will want to have the larger more complete books (Howell, Skutch, Ridgely and Gwynne)for the text. For example Double-banded Greytail, an interesting species found only in the Darien region of Columbia and Panama, is included in both books. In this book the entire text is: "L10cm. Very warbler-like butwith different habits (creeps about dense foliage, often hanging upside down). Habitat forest canopy, sencond growth. UPa." In Ridgley and Gwynne's Birds of Panama, the text is a half a page and even includes information on the very trail that it is often located on in Cana, Darien.Despite its shortcomings (and the mundane Northern Cardinal on the cover, a bird more representative of Ohio than Mexico to most of us) I still think this is a very useful book. It's tough to lug Ridgley's Birds of Panama or Skutch's Costa Rica guide in the field as well as Howell's and this will do the job without having to copy the plates and reconstruct your own more portable field guide like many of us have done before this guide came out. I can forsee getting a lot of use out of this in addition to keeping my other more massive and detailed books for reference.

My first birding trip. All the birds we saw (over 200 species) were in the book and the pictures were very accurate. I used the range maps in the back to mark the birds in the front that would be expected in the areas we traveled. Worked like a dream.

Plates do not have lot of detail like Sophi Webb book but works, if you are an expert on birding guides you'll notice, the plus of this book is the light weight and space saver on your backpack for those long hikes looking ofr birds.If you are tour guide this book works with you for the reasons I mentioned.

It fits a lot of birds into a small, travel-sized book. It may not have the details needed for some of the more challenging identifications and distinctions, but that's expected with a small field guide. I had trouble finding many books that cover Nicaragua, but I ended up using it a lot in Mexico, too, and love that it can cover so much territory.

The media could not be loaded. Una guía que cualquier amante de las aves debe tener, viene bastante bien ilustrado. Me gustó mucho

The range maps were very useful and easy to use. It was very helpful in deciding which birds were likely in a given area. The bird pictures were small and basic so consider using this guide with others.

guide parfait pour les régions concernées.

I originally reviewed this and put down as a 1 star. This was due to the non-arrival of the book. Thank you Royal Mail! But the seller found out and sent a replacement copy which I received very quickly. Good service.Oh by the way, the book looks great

Fantastic field guide, came in very useful on our recent trip to Central America and Mexico. Will look to buy only Princeton Illustrated Checklists for other regions in the future.