Newman’s Birds by Colour: A must-have for birding in southern Africa
I found that categorising the birds by colour (and then by size) immensely helpful and intuitive.
Newman’s Birds by Colour is one of the best local bird books on the market right now. Whether you are just starting out or have been in the game for a while, this is one to get your twitchy hands on before your next outing.
I myself am a seriously amateur birder (i.e. I don’t have a clue), amid a family of birders who all take the matter quite seriously.
Yes, we are those people, the ones you see parked for ages up ahead in the game reserve, who you assume are looking at something wildly exciting like a cheetah attached to a gnu, only to discover that we have been staring at a LBJ (little brown jobbie)! If that’s not bad enough, my extended family are now into tree identification, so same story but there isn’t even a bird to look at.
We took a copy of Newman’s Birds by Colour on our recent trip to the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve in June.
I am normally quite intimidated by bird books, as I often struggle to find the particular variety of LBJ that my husband is enthusiastically describing through his binoculars before it flits away. The pressure to find the right page in time is immense!
I found that categorising the birds by colour (and then by size) immensely helpful and intuitive.
Among South African birders, Newman’s is akin to the birding bible. Everyone who consider themselves a serious birder has a dog-eared copy that goes with them everywhere.
Now in its fourth edition, the illustrated guide includes photographs in addition to artwork and has been updated to include the latest common names, expanded habitat information, and up-to-date distribution maps.
The introduction gives practical tips for identifying birds, and includes information on bird anatomy and classification, and what you need to go birding.
Kenneth Newman was a renowned bird painter and ornithologist who contributed significantly to the practice of birding in southern Africa.
His numerous books have sold close to a million copies worldwide. His son, Nicholas, is a passionate and accomplished birder who continues to build on his father’s legacy.
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