Book Review – Terrestrial Game Birds & Snipes Of Africa

This handbook on Guinea fowls, Francolins, Spur fowls, Quails, Sandgrouse, and Snipes offers a detailed glimpse into the lives of these remarkable species. As a beginning bird enthusiast I was thrilled to learn more about these African game birds.

The book has a wide selection of beautiful photographs. It is divided into six parts with detailed information on for example habitat and habits, food and feeding, breeding and conservation of each species. The descriptions and pictures were helpful to identify and distinguish adults and juveniles.

I was also interested by the paragraphs on habits including a description of the call of each species. It’s full of fascinating facts: Some birds are monogamous, of some their breeding is triggered by rainfall, some birds react to calls played back to them.

I never knew that the Helmeted Guinea fowls in my garden were so sociable: they socialise and dust-bath at dawn, then a couple of hours before sunset they socialise again and flock members emit a single-noted ‘cheenk’ to each other.

I can highly recommend this book to bird lovers, but also to anyone who is interested in Africa’s beautiful bird life.

Pauline Vijverberg
5/5