Although not specifically about birds, this book covers many
of the commonly visited bird watching sites around Thailand
and contains numerous beautiful photographs of flora and fauna
from around the country. The fact that Gerald Cubitt, the
photographer, is given joint authorship points to the strength
of this publication; the quality of the pictures. However,
this publication is much more than a coffee table book, although
indeed it would be an excellent addition to any coffe table,
with a structured approach to imparting information about
notable wildlife sites region by region. This makes for interesting
reading, particularly if one is planning a trip to Thailand
and this book is a good tool to deciding which areas to visit
for not only birds but for other wildlife highlights too.
What really sets this book apart from others that rely heavily
on their visual impact is the fact that it contains a large
introductory section covering various aspects of Thailand's
geography, climate and habitat types.
This section of the book does well in giving the reader a
lot of background information upon which to build a picture
of the natural heritage of Thailand. The history of the fledgling
environmental movement in Thailand is also given and it does
a particularly good job of outlining the problems surrounding
wildlife conservation in the region.
This book is too large to be carried around on a birding trip,
but then it was never designed to be. Instead, this book is
an excellent one to buy before travelling to Thailand in order
to familiarise oneself with the regions, habitats and species
that may be experienced. Equally, this publication makes an
excellent souvenir to read in order to bring back fond memories
well after returning home and of course is a beautiful addition
to anyone's library due to the quality of the photographs.
Score: 8/10
More Top Books on Thailand Wildlife
Field
Guide to the Mammals of Southeast Asia - The leading
field guide covering all of the mammals of the region including
the smallest of them; bats, mice and others that are not
included in some books. Small enough to take into the field
this book is a true field guide as well as excellent reference
material.
Hornbills:
Masters of Tropical Forests- An informative but
readable book on the ecology of the hornbills of Thailand,
some of the most magnificent of all birds found in the
country. A must-have publication for anyone wanting to
learn more about hornbills.