J. S. Ash

Basics: 1998, hardcover, 336 pages, 4 color plates of 26 species, 654 species discussed, distribution maps

This is a good reference that documents this infrequently visited east-African country. The authors have included all of Somalia’s birds, giving a brief synopsis of the 654 species while also providing an atlas-type map for each bird.

The primary mission of this book is to offer a documented source on the life histories of these birds. Each bird is given one short to medium-length paragraph that focuses on three things: status, distribution, and breeding. This information helps give a general overview for those birders with an interest in more data-oriented knowledge.

Each bird's approximate distribution is depicted in a map of Somalia. In the fashion of a breeding atlas, a solid or an open dot marks a site record of the bird as documented by the authors or by other researchers, respectively.

The first 78 pages of the book contain a great and in-depth overview of the country’s vegetation, followed with history, geology, and climate of Somalia. A good introduction is also given for the migration and breeding of the birds.

This book is a reference to status and distribution. It is not an identification guide; thus, no descriptions are given for any of the birds. As a small consolation, there are four good color plates towards the beginning of the book that show 26 species.

This is an academic focused book, a reference on ornithological data. If you’re looking for an identification guide to the species of Somalia, there are several excellent books for this (e.g., Zimmerman et al., Stevenson/Fanshawe, or Sinclair/Ryan).

I’ve listed several related books below…
1) Birds of Somalia: Their Habitat, Status and Distribution by Ash/Miskell
2) Birds of Africa South of the Sahara by Sinclair/Ryan
3) Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania by Zimmerman et al.
4) Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa by Stevenson/Fanshawe
5) A Photographic Guide to Birds of East Africa by Richards
6) Common Birds of East Africa by Withers
7) A Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa by Williams/Arlott
8) The Birds of British Somaliland and the Gulf of Aden by Archer/Godman
9) African Handbook of Birds: Series 1 Volumes 1 & 2 by Mackworth-Praed… (mehr)