The calls of birds are rendered as
humorous phrases – very useful for those
francolin calls that drive even experienced
adults mad (e.g. Swainson’s francolins say
“bankrot, bankrot, bankrot”!).
Lest you dismiss this as a cartoon type
book solely for children, be advised that
even experienced birders will be grateful
for the comparative keys to difficult birds,
such as the larks – the colour-coding allows
one to immediately determine in which
category the lark falls and guides you on
a process of elimination. Adults will also
sneak a peek at his introductory key to
seedeaters, which include a large number
of families, or take a surreptitious glance
at the “Help Files” for swallows, plungers
and grey hawks, among others. >>Spotted thick-knees (or dikkops) put
up a scary show if you come too close
to their eggs. Beware!
book review | biodiversity