Field Guide to Birds of Armenia, A

This book is the most accurate, comprehensive, and technically sophisticated publication on the birds of Armenia, and Caucasia in general. It is the climax of four years of intense field, museum, and literature research. Armenia (a country the size of Belgium or the US State of Maryland) has an extraordinary 346 species of birds whereas, for comparison, the whole of Europe has 550 species and the area encompassed by the former Soviet Union has 750 species. Contents include: (1) simple and functional text descriptions of 346 species, (2) a total of 61 plates prepared by 12 of the world's most distinguished bird artists, illustrating each species with unequaled accuracy of color, scale, and composition, and (3) for the first time in this part of the world, distribution maps accurately documenting the location of species records and assessing species abundance. Over 40 years have passed since the last major work on Armenian birds in 1954; this guide not only brings our knowledge up to date, it also makes these birds accessible to the world like never before, and presents unique information to stimulate additional study in a region revealed to be a major avian integration zone. The principal author is Dr. Martin S. Adamian, a renowned ornithologist and senior scientist in the Armenian National Academy of Sciences. For 38 years he has dedicated his professional life to the study of Armenian birds, publishing 110 scientific articles and 2 books. He was aided by an ornithological colleague, Dr. Daniel Klem, Jr., and a technically skilled international team of field, museum, and editorial contributors primarily from Armenia, Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States of America. This work was conducted to promote responsible environmental management, and to ensure environmental health and the conservation of Armenian natural resources through the appreciation, enjoyment, and study of birds.