Book Review:
Birds of Malaysia, covering Peninsular Malaysia, Malaysian Borneo and Singapore by Lynx and Birdlife International is a much needed field guide for myself and other birders. I must admit that this is one of the best bird books for avifauna of Malaysia as well as Singapore. The saying “never judge a book by its cover” does not apply for this field guide. Why? The book cover itself captures the attention of potential owners and even attracts them to buy. By flipping through those colorful plates with stunning illustrations, you will agree with me that this book is well worth the investment!
It covers 847 species of birds that have been recorded in Peninsular Malaysia, Malaysia Borneo and Singapore. Although the number of species could potentially increase in the near future, the total species covered in the field guide will keep everyone busy for a long time. The book is not just about its illustrations, the information describing habitats, behaviors, songs, and plumage is clear and accurate. QR codes provided for each species enable us to access the online audio and visuals. The format is easy to understand once you get used to the abbreviations. In the past, my birding guests commented that a range map for each species should be shown next to the illustration, and this field guide just solved that! Personally, I would like to see markings or arrows highlighting the important features for each illustration because it is very useful when comparing species that may look alike.
The introduction section of the book provides a brief overview of climate, habitats and a list of threatened birds in Malaysia and Singapore. These information is important to many birders and allow everyone to understand about bird habitats and their current status. For beginners or visiting birders, the map and list of birding hotspots comes handy for planning where to watch and photograph birds. Perhaps, the book could also include a list of top 50 or 100 species to see in Malaysia and Singapore.
At the last section of the book, there is a complete species index which even include an index for local names. This is indeed a fresh idea for a field guide for avifauna of Malaysia and Singapore. It is a way for us to learn the local names and may also be useful while talking to the locals.
Apart from the impressive illustrations and description in this book, the inclusion of species range map, QR codes and index with local names certainly make it distinguishable. This fantastic field guide should be in every birder’s bag. I will certainly include this book for discussion and bird identification with my birding guests. Indispensable.
I have a copy and I recommend that you should get one too!
Link: https://www.lynxeds.com/product/birds-of-malaysia/
The authors: Dr Puan Chong Leong, Dr Geoffrey Davison and Lim Kim Chye
Stunning illustration, species range map and QR codes
Finally, an index with local names. Well done!
