October 2001 FINAL
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Reviews and 4, the Australian Owlet- (nighthawks) to Caprimulginae NIGHTJARS AND nightjar Aegotheles cristatus on (nightjars).The placement of the THEIR ALLIES plate 6 and the Golden C. genera Eurostopodus and Veles By D.T.Holyoak. Illustrated eximius and Long-tailed Night- within the Chordeilinae will by Martin Woodcock. Oxford jars C. climacurus on plate 19. In surely provoke future discussion, University Press, Oxford, an ideal world, some species as will the merging of Uropsalis 2001. 773 pages; 23 colour would have been illustrated into Macropsalis. At the species plates; maps; line-drawings. together on the same plate, e.g. level, the Cuban C. (cubanensis) ISBN 0-19-854987-3. Egyptian C. aegyptius and cubanensis and Hispaniolan Hardback, £50.00. Sykes’s Nightjars C. Nightjars C. (c.) ekmani have mahrattensis, and Sickle-winged been re-lumped, as have the Pale- Eleothreptus anomalus with headed Batrachostomus poliolo- This, the latest volume in the White-winged Nightjar C. candi- phus and Bornean Frogmouths excellent ‘Bird Families of the cans, while perhaps more racial B. mixtus, despite the wealth of World’ series, covers the variation could have been information available suggesting Caprimulgiformes, nocturnal depicted for some species, such otherwise. The subspecific treat- birds that include owlet-nightjars as Band-winged Nightjar C. lon- ment of certain species struck (Aegothelidae), frogmouths girostris. me as being somewhat out of (Podargidae and Batrachosto- The species-account subhead- date, with Rufous Nightjar C. midae), potoos (Nyctibiidae), ings are taxonomy and nomen- rufus being one of the more puz- nightjars, nighthawks and poor- clature (including synonyms), zling accounts. Of the subspecies wills (Eurostopodidae and other English names, description, listed, noctivigulus has already Caprimulgidae), and the unique moults, bare parts, measure- been shown to be a synonym of Oilbird Steatornis caripensis. ments, weights, geographical rufus, while maximus has not The appearance of a third variation, range and status, appeared in the literature since it ‘nightjar’ title in three years, habitat, food and feeding, behav- was originally described in 1940. coming so soon after both the iour, voice, breeding, field charac- Apparently, the latter is in reality Pica Press monograph and ters, conservation, names in an example of a wintering volume 5 of the Handbook of other languages, and, finally,refer- Chuck-will’s-widow C. caroli- the Birds of the World,may be ences.The inclusion of synonyms nensis. questioned by some, but never- is extremely useful, but they are Despite my reservations on theless I have awaited its arrival not quoted in full (as explained certain taxonomic issues, I eagerly.This sumptuous work is by the author in the plan of the remain of the opinion that this is extremely well presented, and it book) and are not referenced in an important and extremely com- is more of a handbook than a the bibliography. Some are also mendable work, and it is one simple monograph or guide. incomplete or out of date, and I which will occupy a prominent Part one contains eight noticed a number of errors. For position on my bookshelf. general chapters, covering an example, the first two synonyms Nigel Cleere introduction to the Caprimulgi- of the Pennant-winged Nightjar formes, evolution and classifica- Macrodipteryx vexillarius are SHORT REVIEW tion, speciation and biogeo- given as Macrodipteryx campy- graphy, habitats, migration and lopterus Heuglin 1864 and Cos- Essential Birding – hibernation, food and feeding metornis spekei Heuglin 1864. Western South Africa ecology, nocturnal signalling, The first of these should be By Callan Cohen & Claire Spottiswoode. (Struik Publishers, breeding biology and moult. Part Macrodipteryx condylopterus Cape Town, 2000. 136 pages; two contains 118 species Heuglin 1864, which I under- numerous colour photographs accounts and the colour plates. stand to be a synonym of the and maps. ISBN 1 86872 524 3. On the whole, Martin Wood- Standard-winged Nightjar M. Softback, £9.99.) This attractive cock’s plates are excellent, longipennis, while the author of little book covers the Western although, on some images, the the second was Sclater 1864. and Northern Cape provinces of South Africa. It aims to tawny and buff colours have A number of important taxo- provide details of the best sites been printed too red and, in my nomic changes are proposed by for seeing the region’s character- copy, the figure of the Collared the author, such as the recogni- istic bird species, and links these Nightjar Caprimulgus enarratus tion of the genus Veles for the together into practical routes has a blue throat patch! I was Brown Nightjar C. binotatus and suitable for birders making a short visit to the region. especially impressed with some the moving of the genus Podager of the frogmouths on plates 3 from the subfamily Chordeilinae RR 512 © British Birds 94: 512-513, October 2001 Reviews began, the editors have maintained each one is uncramped. On the THE BIRDS OF AFRICA. their high standards and attained whole, however, I found them less VOL.VI. PICATHARTES their objectives. pleasing than those in earlier TO OXPECKERS. Such a huge undertaking volumes.The thrill of seeing some Edited by C. Hilary Fry, inevitably includes the odd of the more spectacular sunbirds Stuart Keith & Emil K. Urban. bugbear, which detracts only in the field was, for me, not Colour plates by Martin slightly from the whole. In partic- repeated in the plates. Woodcock; line-drawings by ular, the decision to map all My final quibble relates to tax- Ian Willis.Academic Press, species on the same scale does not onomy, although I do not pretend London, 2000. 724 pages; 36 work well. Nothing is gained from to understand all of the many colour plates; distribution range maps of a few island changes that have occurred during maps, line-drawings. endemics, while many other the lifetime of this project.Reasons ISBN 0-12-137306-1. species occupying a restricted are given for some of the editors’ Hardback, £115.00. range would be better served by choices, not all of which I find the use of a larger scale. In the compelling. Thus, we have The sixth (and penultimate) case of Ashy Starling Lampro- Ethiopian Bush-crow Zavattari- volume of this excellent avifauna tornis unicolor, for example, con- ornis stresemanni in Sturnidae, covers 324 species, using a similar siderable effort has been made to while four species traditionally format to that of the previous five. map its distribution accurately, but included in Pycnonotidae have Drawing upon the extensive field the small scale used diminishes the been placed in this volume, with experience of the editors, as well impact of the finished product. the rest in volume IV.A more con- as innumerable other sources, Since the editors have chosen to servative approach would make both published and unpublished, ignore Madagascar, its presence on some of these fascinating species a volume VI is another impressive the maps is unnecessary.This is little easier to find in seven large and scholarly tome. particularly annoying with regard volumes. The layout is user-friendly, to the few species treated in this These are, I admit, only minor whether or not one is familiar volume which occur both there irritants compared with the truly with previous volumes. Families and in mainland Africa; for amazing amount of excellent work and genera are introduced suc- example, Pied Crow Corvus alba presented in this volume. The cinctly, while the species accounts is a common bird throughout the answers to those manifold ques- are divided into up to eight sec- island, yet is ignored on the map. tions which arise before, during tions where appropriate. The text In a few cases, such as Ludwig’s and after a trip to Africa are to be is well written, provides a good Double-collared Sunbird Cinnyris found among its pages. It has been summary of available knowledge, ludovicensis, the text and map are said many times that these books and is often enhanced by some at odds, leaving the reader won- are invaluable to anyone with an fine line-drawings. Despite the dering which is correct. interest in African birds.Volume VI enormous increase in knowledge The colour plates have been is no exception. of Africa’s birds since the project reproduced well, and the design of Richard Schofield British Birds 94: 512-513, October 2001 513.