Ornithological Literature
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The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 122(2):406–415, 2010 Ornithological Literature Robert B. Payne, Review Editor FIELD GUIDE TO THE SONGBIRDS OF imagine ever seeing paintings of many of these SOUTH AMERICA: THE PASSERINES. By birds that are more ‘‘spot-on.’’ In large measure Robert S. Ridgely and Guy Tudor. University of because he is an avid and highly observant birder Texas Press, Austin, Texas, USA. 2009: 750 who understands the importance of accurate pages and 122 color plates with facing-page maps. shapes and postures, Tudor is able to encapsulate ISBN: 978-0-292-71979-8. $49.95 (paper).— what we need for field identification in the strict There is much to celebrate with publication of confines of a field guide. As is inevitably the case this revamp and update of the first two volumes of when a large number of species is treated, a few The Birds of South America (BOSA: Oscine illustrations leave much to be desired (most of passerines, 1989; Suboscine passerines 1994) in which are holdovers from BOSA). White-bearded a more compact format under a single cover. Antshrike (Biatas nigropectus, Plate 20, #3) never Undoubtedly the most anxiously awaited aspect of appears uncrested (except in a museum tray)—the Songbirds is the tremendous contribution of Guy new, undersized male figure and a female bust, at Tudor’s new art; illustrations of 406 species appropriate scale, could have admirably replaced (some as only busts) have been added to the the poor BOSA ones; Plain-crested Elaenia ,1,220 previously depicted ones, a whopping (Elaenia cristata, Plate 44, #7), unrecognizable 33% increase. There remain not illustrated about as is, shows a sharp, spiky crest virtually all the 347 native species of South American passerines, time; White-winged Cotinga (Xipholena atropur- roughly 18% of the authors’ total number of purea, Plate 69, #7) is a much darker ‘‘blackish- ,1,974 (excluding a few vagrants). Now repre- purple’’ as described in the text; Black-collared sented are all but one (I think) standing genus Swallow (Atticora melanoleuca, Plate 76, #10) (Stymphalornis antbirds, endemic to southeast invariably looks black-and-white (not navy blue) Brazil). in the field even at close range, and the posture is The back cover calls attention to the need for atypical; and all of the pipits (Anthus spp., Plate ‘‘a more compact guide that birders can take into 84, perhaps with the exception of Correndera the field.’’ Given that they intend to show us how Pipit, A. correndera) remain unidentifiable in and to identify 1,981 species of passerine birds, some of themselves. of which are hard to see well, all while traipsing Other closely similar groups of birds, such as through the rainforests and deserts on the Bird the dreaded ‘‘tyrannulets,’’ are well done al- Continent, they may have set themselves up for though there are regrettable problems with a few disappointment. On some levels, they have species that occur in syntopy (together in the same succeeded, it’s just hard to say whether they have habitat) through much of their ranges, particularly tackled the monster or the monster has tackled Rough-legged Tyrannulet (Phyllomyias burmeis- them. Weighing in at 1.28 kg, the book can be teri, Plate 41, #16); Greenish Tyrannulet (P. carried in the field by most birders, but not very virescens, Plate 41, #17); and Mottle-cheeked comfortably by anyone. Perhaps most tellingly, Tyrannulet (Phylloscartes ventralis, Plate 46, #4). almost no one has opted to tote it on recent South The most similar-looking small tyrannids, scat- American birding walks where most folks would tered over several plates (mostly 41, 42, 46), like to be carrying a field guide. I’ve not yet seen could have been grouped in a much more useful anyone with the plates cut out and bound manner for field identification, for starters by separately, all too often the fate of BOSA, but separating exclusively Andean from non-Andean the specter has already come up. The ideal bulk species on different plates, then bunching the may lie about halfway between Songbirds and the members of each broad group that actually much smaller Birds of South America: Non- overlap geographically and occur in the same passerines (Erize et al. 2006, Princeton University habitats. Because the small South American Press). tyrannids, too many of which are not illustrated, Tudor’s illustrations are wonderful; it’s hard to present the most complex field identification 406 ORNITHOLOGICAL LITERATURE 407 problems (female Sporophila seedeaters aside), I for most countries (to the state/department level in had hoped they would be given high priority in the tightest zooms), also works well. Without Songbirds. having looked at most of the maps critically, I The choice was made to insert many of the new think it’s fair to say the level of accuracy is illustrations at varying scales different from the admirably high. I happened to notice that the rest of the (existing) figures on the plate. Some of maps for Black Antbird (Cercomacra serva) and the most problematic instances are Plate 52, #8, Blackish Antbird (C. nigrescens) were switched 11; Plate 53, #3, 4, 11, 13 relative to the (their names are bad enough!). Similarly, numbers themselves and the rest of that plate; Plate 61, labeling the maps and figures for Green Honey- #5, 7; Plate 71, #4; Plate 101, #2, 3; and Plate 114, creeper (Chlorophanes spiza) and Red-legged #12 (Dickcissel [Spiza americana] should be Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes caeruleus) are mixed significantly larger than Greenish Yellowfinch up (numbers are correct on the maps and text, so [Sicalis olivascens]!). It is disheartening to see the switch the species’ numbers on the plate of your stunning Araripe Manakin (Antilophia boker- copy to match). Problems on the level of not manni, Plate 64, #17) relegated to a corner- showing Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin (Neo- squeeze at about half-size, below its sister, pelma chrysocephalum) in northern Peru; of Helmeted Manakin (A. galeata). Its illustration showing Long-winged Antwren (Myrmotherula points to another unfortunate feature of all plates longipennis) extensively between the Rio Napo in having new illustrations: something happened in Peru and the Negro in Brazil where it is largely or the production stage so all of the new figures look completely absent; of missing the interface faded relative to those in BOSA. Thus, the red and between Squamate Antbird (Myrmeciza squa- black on the Araripe Manakin are significantly mosa, shown extensively north into Rio de paler or less saturated than these same colors on Janeiro) and White-bibbed Antbird (M. loricata, the Helmeted Manakin. A number of figures of shown far too extensively through interior Bahia, females also have been newly illustrated, an and ranging well into northern coastal Sa˜o Paulo); important advancement, but a field guide really of White-breasted Antbird (Rhegmatorhina hoff- must treat all distinctive female plumages (of the mannsi) crossing (and extensively so) the Rio species illustrated at all). Almost no juvenal Juruena into northern Mato Grosso; of Serra do plumages are shown or described. One of the Mar Tyrannulet (Phylloscartes difficilis) occurring few, Andean Laniisoma (Laniisoma buckleyi, all along the coast of southeast Brazil where Plate 66, #8), is mislabeled the adult female. I known from only a few scattered points high in love the new illustrations of the mockingbirds the mountains; and of showing the threatened (Plate 83) in flight; it would have been great to see Black-and-white Monjita (Xolmis dominicanus) much more of this kind of field-oriented illustra- over much too wide an area in Rio Grande do Sul tion. (it was never known to be so amply distributed, On the plates, each species illustration is even historically)—are somewhat more frequent. numbered and some also have letters A, B, C, Maps for a few very poorly known birds are indicating the figure represents a distinctive annoyingly problematic. For example, an undoc- subspecies. To interpret this information, one umented, single-observer sight-record of the ultra- needs to go to the text. This cumbersome system rare Kinglet Calyptura (Calyptura cristata, Plate could have been made much less so by simply 66, #6) in coastal northern Sa˜o Paulo is mapped putting the letters on the species’ map to inform and cited in the text as if it were fact! This map users of where that taxon (or group of taxa) is should show only the single point of known expected. occurrence (from late Oct 1996) just below The South American distribution of each Tereso´polis, Rio de Janeiro with an arrow species is shown on a correspondingly numbered pointing to a red dot and at most a question mark map on pages opposite or near its illustration, anywhere else; the maximum zoom should have sometimes requiring a little hunting although I got been provided here. used to it. I really like these maps. Several levels In a field guide, the species accounts should of geographic zoom are used to show most of the foster transformation of the painting on the plate highly restricted ranges more clearly. The contrast to a living bird by infusing vital information on between colors chosen for ranges, including habitat and behavior while enabling even the most migrants, and also rivers and political boundaries difficult field identifications. My overall impres- 408 THE WILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY N Vol. 122, No. 2, June 2010 sion is that over 90% of the species accounts in reason or another (we have no data to judge), were Songbirds are good to excellent; space limitations not mentioned in Songbirds. For one example, the in the Journal precluded my elaboration of Stigmatura wagtail-tyrants go from two to four examples.