Birding South-east China

Tim Woodward

The first detailed site guide for the region, including maps, information on key bird species, other wildlife, transportation, accommodation, a check list of sites and check lists of birds and mammals in English and Chinese, with status information for each province. It covers Hong Kong, Macau, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi and Fujian. Since China opened up to foreign visitors in the early 1980s birdwatchers have been gradually visiting the ever-expanding list of reserves, now more than 500. This book covers more than 160 sites, not all of which are reserves. As might be expected in a region where the scientific study of birds was largely suspended for fifty years there has been a steady stream of ornithological discoveries - from the recording of Varied Tit in Guangdong, through to finding White-eared Night Heron in Guangdong/Jiangxi. The most prominent re-discoveries since the turn of the century have been that of Yellow-throated Laughingthrush in Wuyuan, Jiangxi and Chinese Crested Tern, first in the Mazu Islands off Fujian and more recently at other sites in Fujian. In addition, there is a continued expansion of the species list for the region as DNA studies of warblers in particular have already added five new species this decade. 423 pages.

Softback £33.50