The New Encyclopedia of Birds is the definitive single-volume guide to the birds of the world. Entries prepared by a team of renowned biologists conservationists give a systematic account of every family, covering their form and function, distribution, diet, social behaviour, and breeding biology. With one-eighth of all bird species now under threat, special attention is given to environmental and conservation issues. The Encyclopedia's clear, readable text is supplemented by a wealth of photographs showing the wide diversity of birds in their natural habitat. In addition, beautifully detailed colour and line artworks depict representative species in each family and highlight characteristic behaviours. 'Factfile' panels throughout the book, with distribution maps and scale drawings, put key data at the reader's fingertips. A fully revised and updated successor to the same editor's acclaimed Encyclopedia of Birds (1990), this comprehensive reference work will appeal both to the amateur birdwatcher and to the student of ornithology.