Kurt Bonde

Basics: 1993, softcover, 108 pages, 4 color photos of habitat & 1 one bird, 300+ species discussed, no range maps

As noted by the book’s subtitle, this is a reference of historical records that have been compiled into a summary of each bird’s distribution and status in Lesotho. Located entirely within SE South Africa, this small, high-altitude country has a list of 300+ species, all of which are briefly discussed in this book.

Each bird is reviewed by one paragraph ranging from 2-20 sentences, with most of the birds receiving 4-8 sentences. This information briefly describes the status of the bird in the country, provides some historical documentation for the less common birds, and general descriptions of habitats of the more common species. Effectively, this is an annotated checklist of Lesotho.

The first 37 pages of the book address the country’s landscapes and ornithological history. They also provide several pages of references and a gazetteer. A nice addition is the inclusion of 12 pages that offer several locations plus 5 maps for birding in Lesotho.

The only illustrations of birds are a dozen black-and-white line drawings scattered throughout the book plus a good color photo of a Bearded Vulture as the frontispiece.

I’ve listed several related books below…
1) The Atlas of Southern African Birds by Harrison
2) Newman's Birds of Southern Africa by Newman
3) Illustrated Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa by Sinclair/Hockey/Tarboton
4) Field Guid to the Birds of the Kruger National Park by Sinclair/Whyte
5) Birds of Natal and Zululand by Clancey
6) The Birds of Southern Mozambique by Clancey
7) Southern African Birds: A Photographic Guide by Sinclair/Davidson
8) Bird Atlas of Botswana by Penry… (plus d'informations)