The Vultures of Africa

Signed on title page by one of the authors, Steven Piper. A good plus hardcover in dust jacket. Shelf wear, discoloration on end papers, a touch loose in the binding. Dust jacket shelf rubbed with sun fading. In The Vultures of Africa, all eleven species of vulture known to the continent are presented, for the first time, in an authoritative account that will rank as the most important ornithological work on these fascinating yet threatened birds. Vultures have always evoked a strong response in people, whether it be one of reverence, as in the Ancient Egyptians, or of aversions, as shown by many of the explorers and hunters of the last century. In this major, fully illustrated monograph, Dr Peter Mundy and his co-authors endeavour to answer every conceivable question on the biology and lifestyles of these birds, in a text that is a refreshing departure from traditional bird monographs in terms of its lively and contentious styles. The book, nevertheless, remains comprehensive in its approach, and combines the insights gained from the authors' personal experiences with a scholarly review of all the available literature. Each species is superbly illustrated by watercolour paintings, and more than 100 pencil sketches appear throughout the text. Over 130 photographs of the birds in action in different parts of the continent add to the book's visual excitement, and give life to the wealth of data included in the text, maps, and diagrams.