Over a thousand species of birds are illustrated in color in this beautiful and valuable book, which shows birds belonging to virtually every living family and set largely in their natural habitats. The author's selection shows the world of birds at its most brilliant, colorful and interesting.
 
The main text, which follows the color photographs, is arranged as a dictionary and gives concise and authoritative descriptions of all the illustrated species as well as the main groups and other closely allied species. Details include habitat, migration, mating habits and other particularly interesting activities. A general introduction describes the evolution and present day adaptation of bird life to the environment. It is illustrated by and black and white drawings of the basic anatomic structures found in birds.