Birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. 3rd edition

Birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. 3rd edition

Herbert A. Raffaele, Clive Petrovic, Sergio A. Colón López, Lisa D. Yntema & José A. Salguero Faria
Princeton University Press | 2021
224 pp. | 14 x 22 cm
Softback | $24.95 / £20.00 | ISBN: 9780691211671

First published in 1983, ‘Raffaele’ is the standard field guide to the birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. My previous copy is the revised 1989 edition, which follows the format of most guides of its era, with plates grouped in a single block, a number of them monochrome, both measures to save on colour printing costs; many of the paintings are works of art rather than comparative depictions. Three decades later, the 3rd edition places full colour illustrations opposite the text so that all information on a particular species can be gleaned at a glance from an open spread. Species are grouped by habitat to facilitate comparison of similar species. This may be slightly disconcerting to users who have only just got used to wildfowl appearing at the beginning of a field guide, and on this subject I agree with Steve Howell (Howell et al. 2009, 2012) that we should strive to follow a “field-friendly sequence of families”. But that is only a passing comment; this guide is small enough that a particular group of birds will quickly be found by flicking through the pages, something facilitates by the flexible cover.

Raffaele is joined by four co-authors for this edition, two of them well-known in Puerto Rican ornithological circles and two authorities on the birds of the US and British Virgin Islands. The contribution of each is not described but one can probably assume that status and distribution reflect the most current knowledge. The artists are, with one exception, new, and paintings are of a high standard. Taken together, visitors should have little trouble identifying most of the birds of the territories. As with the rest of the Neotropics, the visitor would still be well-advised to take along a standard North American field guide.

In the 30 odd years since the last edition, the number of species recorded has increased by a quarter!The guide covers all 347 species now on the checklist. Helpfully, vagrants and hypothetical species are relegated to the rear of the book, which allows the main body to focus on those species most likely to be encountered. Taxonomy largely follows AOS, departing in a few cases such as the splitting of Eastern Tringa (semipalmata) inornata and Western Willet T. (semipalmata) inornata, Puerto Rican (Loggerhead) Kingbird Tyrannus (caudifasciatus) taylori, and Puerto Rican (Lesser Antillean) Pewee Contopus (latirostris) blancoi. For the first time, local names are included, as well as standard English names, and they also receive their own index. This will surely be welcomes by local birders and naturalists.

Introductory chapters provide analyses of the avifauna and its changes over time, geography and biogeography, and conservation, while potential birding destinations are suggested at the end of the book.

Even with the increase in the number of species covered and supplementary information, this guide is about the same size and weight as its predecessor, and—unlike many field guides to the megadiverse Neotropics—it really is a portable reference. This is the obvious choice for anyone visiting either Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. The improvements on the previous edition are such that those in possession of a 1980s vintage would be wise to invest the very modest cover price to equip themselves with this new guide. It will also be a mandatory purchase for students of the wider West Indian avifauna. The authors and artists are to be congratulated on producing a handy, accessible guide that will doubtless help further the conservation of the birds of these territories.

Book review: The Birds of Cuba. An Annotated Checklist

The Birds of Cuba. An Annotated Checklist. BOC Checklist Series: 26

Arturo Kirkconnell, Guy M. Kirwan, Orlando H. Garrido, Andy D. Mitchell & James W. Wiley
British Ornithologists’ Club | 2020
472 pp. | 15.4 x 24.5 cm
Paperback | £44.99 = $ 61 | ISBN: 9780952288671

My first visits to Cuba were in 1995 and 1996, as a consultant to the World Conservation Monitoring Centre and United Nations Development Programme respectively, to work with Miguel Vales and a team of Cuban scientists at the Centro Nacional de Biodiversidad (CeNBio-IES) on the national Biodiversity Country Study, one of the first requirements of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. This was during the período especial, the 'Special Period' of adverse economic conditions triggered by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, and it was a real eye-opener for me. Even though everything from toilet paper to fuel, and beef to coffee had disappeared from daily life, and despite our conservation work being frustrated by the US embargo on the country (Nairobi funds were routed through Washington were frozen, while California-based Esri were threatened with fines for attempting to supply the GIS package Arc Info), I found Cubans remarkably hospitable, making me feel most welcome, sharing their extremely limited resources unselfishly and even going out of their way to find a vehicle to take me birding outside La Habana in the Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve. One of my most poignant memories was being shown one lunchtime a Gundlach specimen of the extinct Cuban Macaw Ara tricolor—the sole example held in Cuba—that (I learned from this new checklist) has subsequently been lost, probably stolen. At that time, few foreign birders visited Cuba, the majority of them Canadians or Europeans. The embargo was a disincentive to US tourism, but some birders and ornithologists from that country nevertheless succeeded in visiting the island.

Since then, I have been back several times, and particularly since 2014, tourism flourished as US-imposed restrictions were relaxed, a welcome policy that culminated in the restoration of direct flights in 2016. Although there has been a reversal of political rhetoric under the retrograde policies of the Trump regime, I am hopeful that a more pragmatic future awaits. At any rate, there seems no better time to publish a revision of the Cuban avifauna, something that had not been attempted—leaving aside the more summary treatment in Garrido and Kirkconnell’s field guides to the birds of Cuba (2000, 2011)—since Garrido and García’s Catálogo de las aves de Cuba published in 1975. I was honoured to be asked to review the new checklist for the next issue of the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club.

TEXT TO FOLLOW AFTER PUBLICATION. 

 

For more information on birds and birding in Cuba, you could do worse than read Seeing Cuba’s endemic birds and other specialities.

 

Book review: Wildlife of the Caribbean by Herb Raffaele and Jim Wiley

Wildlife of the Caribbean

Herbert A. Raffaele & James W. Wiley
Princeton University Press | 2014
304 pp. | 12.8 x 29.3 cm | 600 colour illustrations. 1 map Paperback | £13.95 / $19.95 | ISBN: 9780691153827

The Caribbean is a popular destination for travellers and, as well as its signature beaches, it harbours a diverse and distinctive fauna and flora, with a large number of island endemics. Up until now there has been a lack of a field guide to enable the curious visitor to readily identify what he/she encounters. Sure enough, there are several slim photographic brochures covering different aspects of the natural world, and the wonderful old Riley field guide to butterflies, but the only really good modern resource is the comprehensive Birds of the West Indies (not to be confused with James Bond's pioneering book of the same name). Two of the authors of that guide, Herb Raffaele and Jim Wiley, have teamed up to fill the gap with this handy little pocket guide which aims to cover pretty much anything the casual visitor might encounter, from conspicuous plants to reef fish and seashells. The book is “intended to serve as a practical guide for local people and tourists alike” and the authors “presume its users have no particular experience or expertise with nature”.

The book is small and light enough to fit into a large pocket, pouch or handbag, so it can be taken almost anywhere. It is very well organised and carefully laid out, with text opposite or next to plates, so there is no need to flip back and forth to find a description. The book is split into two sections: terrestrial and marine. Chapters on terrestrial wildlife deal with plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, freshwater fish and invertebrates. The marine section covers whales and manatee, sea turtles, reef fish and marine invertebrates, including shells. So, whether in the mountains, on the beach, or snorkelling, this guide should be of service. The 451 commonest and most widespread species have been chosen, leaving out a large number of organisms that are rarely encountered. Most of the illustrations are paintings by several different artists, but plants and invertebrates are depicted with photographs. Given the track record of the authors, each with over 40 years' experience in the Caribbean, the user can be sure that the text is authoritative.

A 300+ page, full-colour guide written by experts, priced at £14 (and quite a lot cheaper on-line) is a real bargain. This handy guide will be welcomed by residents, casual holiday-makers and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

References

Bond, J. (1936) Birds of the West Indies. Academy of Natural Sciences: Philadelphia, PA. 456 pp.

Raffaele, H., Wiley, J., Garrido, O., Keith, A. & Raffaele, J. (1998) Birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press: Princeton NJ. 511 pp.

Raffaele, H., Wiley, J., Garrido, O., Keith, A. & Raffaele, J. (2003) Birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press: Princeton NJ. 216 pp.

Riley, N.D. (1975) Field guide to the butterflies of the West Indies. Collins: London. 224 pp.