This is the
16th and last volume of the super-encyclopaedia to end all
super-encyclopaedias, "Handbook of the Birds of the World", published
by Lynx Edicions.
The first volume was published already in 1992, this one in 2011. Thus, the entire work took almost 20 years to complete! But then, there are almost 10,000 species of birds, so we shouldn't really be surprised.
This concluding volume covers four passerine families: Tanagers, Cardinals, Buntings and New World Sparrows, New World Blackbirds.
As usual, the photos and plates are excellent (and all in colour!), while the accompanying text is rather heavy and mostly geared to a scientific audience, and perhaps very advanced bird-watchers. This is a book for the reference library. Still, it's so well-produced that I wasn't surprised to find that the website of the publisher offer it to the general reader, as well. You can even pay in instalments!
Of the innumerable facts found in this volume, one in particular struck me. The global population of the Red-Winged Blackbird is 200 million, making it one of the most common birds in North America. Aha! Somehow, this solves the perennial small town "mystery" of why hundreds of Blackbirds occasionally fall dead from the skies...
Here's a clue: it really wasn't UFOs or aliens after all, so please delay that call to National Enquirer!
Five stars for the home run of Lynx Edicions.
