annieb123's Review of Tropical Birds (Animals)

by Tom Jackson

Most of the world’s exquisite and rare bird species are found in tropical rainforests – the Amazon, Sumatra, Borneo, Daintree Rainforest in Australia, and the Congo basin in Africa. These lush, wet biospheres are home to some of the most colourful creatures on our planet.
Did you know that parrots can live for 80 years or more? Or that most tropical birds are omnivores and will eat seeds, nuts, fruit and insects, while a few will eat small lizards or animals? The world’s longest parrot is the stunningly bright hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), checking in at more than a metre from tip to tail.
From the screeching red-and-green macaw to the majestic great hornbill, from the rainbow lorikeet of northern Queensland to the endangered Spix’s macaw of the Amazonian rainforest, Tropical Birds explores the fascinating lifecycles, diets and, where applicable, migratory patterns, of hundreds of species from every part of the tropical belt.
With full captions explaining the origins, habitat and behaviour of these exotic creatures, Tropical Birds is a concise exploration in 180 brilliant photographs.

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Tropical Birds is a beautiful pictorial look at birds of the tropics written and curated by Tom Jackson. Due out 10th May 2022 from Amber Books, it's 224 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

This book is collected from mostly stock photos, but exceptionally well curated and written. It's illustrated throughout with photographs and illustrations from detailed macro photos by talented nature photographers. The chapters are arranged thematically by bird families: parrots & cuckoos, toucans & woodpeckers, hornbills, hummingbirds & swifts, ground birds, and songbirds. The photos are captioned and provide insight into species' habitat, food and habits. Photos are very high quality and colourful.

The species included in the book are referred to by common (not scientific nomenclature). There is also little information about the ranges of the species. There was also no index in the eARC provided for review, although that might be included in the release version of the book. The book does include a comprehensive and specific photo credits appendix.

Four stars. I found the book engaging and beautiful, but the bottom line is that it's a collection of gorgeous photos with limited additional information.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Tropical Birds (Animals)

by Tom Jackson

Reviewed by annieb123 on Apr 15, 2022

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