A comprehensive field guide to the magnificent birdlife of Costa Rica.

Graced with bounteous natural beauty, Costa Rica has become a popular destination for ecologically aware travellers from all over the world. Perhaps the country's most remarkable draw is its stunning birdlife, which is one of the largest and most diverse of any country in the world. The shimmering quetzals, brightly coloured macaws and spectacular toucans that populate tourism posters only begin to hint at the magnificent avian diversity to be found throughout this small country.

Now in its second edition, the objective of this book is to help you correctly identify birds in Costa Rica. Each family of birds is introduced by a brief description that should help the novice birder determine to which group a bird belongs. 903 species in total are included on 174 stunning colour plates by artist Robert Dean. Corresponding to each species' illustration is a written account on the facing page, covering the unique field marks to look for that will distinguish each species from similar ones, along with information about status, distribution and vocalisation. Most species accounts include a map indicating its distribution within Costa Rica.

This pocket-friendly yet authoritative field guide is an essential companion for anyone visiting this astoundingly bird-rich corner of Central America.