Basics: 1995, softcover, 185 pages, 160 color photos of 129 species, 374 species discussed, range maps, seasonal charts

This is a unique book covering an area that rarely receives specific attention on its birdlife. Similar in format to the earlier Birds of the UAE by Richardson, this book is a hybrid between an atlas and a photo guide. All of the birds of Jordan are covered in this book. Depending on the bird’s status in the country, it receives anywhere between 3 sentences and 3 paragraphs of discussion. The text refers exclusively to the bird’s status, distribution, and habitat. This is not an identification guide. It's a reference book outlining the bird’s presence in the country.

Of the 160 color photos, 31 show the various habitats of Jordan and the remaining 129 photos show 107 different species. These photos are generally good. Within the text, another 82 black-and-white sketches are included. These are more for aesthetics and not for practical field use.

The two other features of the book are the range maps and the seasonal charts. The range maps of Jordan are broken into geologic versus politic boundaries. This helps to create a more accurate map of the bird’s distribution. The season chart is a horizontal bar beginning with January and continuing to December. Dark or light shading above the month denotes common or uncommon occurrence in the country during that time of the year.

Lastly, 18 pages are dedicated to birding locations within Jordan. These are accompanied with maps along with notes on what the area is like along with expected birds.

This book offers information not available anywhere else and will inform you of the status and distribution of the birds in Jordan. It is a good library reference for those who want more historical and status data on the region's birds. ( )