Birds of Oman

Oman is a truly amazing place. In terms of avifauna it lies at the crossroads between Asian and African species--Arabian desert species to the north, and a host of Afrotropical species occurring in the monsoon-swept south that don't occur anywhere else in the Western Palaearctic.

With much of the Middle East now effectively off-limits to birders, people are increasingly turning to Oman and its avian riches. And what riches they are--highlights include the incredible Omani Owl, discovered just a couple of years ago in the Al Hajar mountains, a suite of regionally scarce wheatears, exotic pigeons, shearwaters and storm-petrels that can be seen from the beach, a host of wintering eagles, plus impressive residents such as Verreaux's, the only accessible sites for Arabian Golden-winged Grosbeak, and Yemen Serin; the list goes on and on.

This book is the perfect guide to this wonderful country's birdlife. Written by the world's leading expert on Middle Eastern birds, Richard Porter, along with Oman bird specialist Jens Eriksen, with color plates opposite concise species text and accurate maps, it is indispensable for any naturalist visiting this jewel of the Arabian peninsula.

Richard Porter has been writing books for Helm for more than 30 years, and has been active in conservation throughout the Middle East since the 1960s. His work in Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey remains inspirational to researchers throughout the region.

Jens Eriksen is a tour guide and photographer, and is renowned as Oman's premier birder, with a number of photographic titles covering the nation's birds under his belt.