Book Review: Birds for beginners in Southern Africa by Philip Coetzee

Review by Philip Coetzee

If you look for a field guide, this is the wrong book, but if you want to understand more about birds, about their biology, habits and habitat, this is the perfect book.  In a fun way, with random cartoons and loads of colorful illustrations, the life of birds is described, from the size of the eggs, the type of chicks, how they fly, migration and where the birds can be found.

Amongst other, the book takes a look at the structure of the bird’s beaks and compare this to everyday items, like that of a woodpecker with a hammer and chisel.  Not to mention the illustrations on the various foot designs found amongst birds.  The various nest types, and there are quite a number of different types, and where they are build, is discussed.  The habitats are colorfully illustrated with examples of the most typical species one will find there.

 Handy tips for building a nest box, a small pond in the garden and attracting birds to your garden are given.  And if you are keen on making birding a serious hobby, you will also find handy tips on binoculars, what to wear and how to look like a real Twitcher, Dude or Birder.

 This book is for the whole family, with easy to understand text accompanied by illustrations that makes it easy for young and old to enjoy the wonderful world of Aves, commonly known as BIRDS.

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