Dave Nurney – illustratör

The definitive guide to nightjars, a beautiful and charismatic nocturnal group.Usually appearing in the fading light of dusk and vanishing again before sunrise, nightjars are a charismatic group of predominantly nocturnal birds. While some species have developed spectacular tails and wing adornments, the majority are fairly uniform in appearance; subtle browns, oranges and greys make them masters of camouflage among the leaf-litter where they generally nest and roost in the daytime, with these colour schemes providing birders with a stern identification challenge in the field.The culmination of more than 50 years of study by the world’s leading expert on these birds, Nigel Cleere, Nightjars of the World features detailed text covering their taxonomy, physiology, plumage and moult, foraging, migration and breeding biology. The species accounts are accompanied by accurate distribution maps, and a comprehensive photographic selection encompasses as much subspecific, sexual and age-related variation as possible. A series of illustrated plates by Dave Nurney depicts every species in exceptional detail.Meticulously researched, this book represents the ultimate resource on nightjars and their relationships, appearance, identification and biology, bringing these beautiful night-birds out of the dark and into the spotlight.

This comprehensive volume covers all of the 198 species of woodpeckers in the world.Each is beautifully illustrated in colour in its various plumages and described vividly and accurately, with complete information on its identifying characteristics, similar species, distribution, migration, habitat, geographical variations, voice, habits, food, and breeding behaviour. References for further research are also included.Woodpeckers is an essential addition to any birder''s library.

This comprehensive volume covers all of the 198 species of woodpeckers in the world. Each is beautifully illustrated in colour in its various plumages and described vividly and accurately, with complete information on its identifying characteristics, similar species, distribution, migration, habitat, geographical variations, voice, habits, food, and breeding behaviour. References for further research are also included. Woodpeckers is an essential addition to any birder''s library.

Field guide to nightjars and related bird species, including frogmouths, potoos, owlet-nightjars and the oilbird.The nightjars and their allies are amongst the most difficult of all birds to identify. Being strictly nocturnal and cryptically patterned in shades of brown, it is often necessary to rely on size, shape, habitat and voice to safely identify a species. The nightjars are by far the largest family in the order and are spread throughout the world. Some species have developed spectacular tails and wing adornments, but the majority are fairly uniform in appearance. They inhabit both forests and deserts and are ground-nesting. Many species are migratory. The forest-dwelling frogmouths of Asia and Australasia and the potoos of Latin America, adopt a less aeiral feeding strategy and nest on open branches or in tree crevices. The unique oilbird of South American nests colonially in caves, and the owlet-nighjars almost exclusively inhabit Australasia. Featuring thoroughly researched text, both through museums and in the field, this book fully covers this popular group of birds. The illustrations depict feather-by-feather detail, allowing identification of all species of nightjars, and an accompanying CD aids identification through the spectacular voices of many species.

Birds: ID Insights is ideal for birders of all levels. Its unique layout, comparing the plumages of similar pairs and groups of species, makes it perfect for identifying the more difficult birds found in Britain and other parts of north-west Europe. It has more images showing how to age birds than any comparable guide, and its handy compact size makes it practical for taking out into the field.The book is based on a long-running series of identification features in Bird Watching magazine. Author Dominic Couzens and artist David Nurney have spent years compiling the field notes and artworks for this series, and here their efforts are drawn together and made complete in a single volume that is easy to carry in the field and practical for birders to use. In addition they have expanded the species list from the magazine series and added many new birds, including the likes of Subalpine Warbler, Short-toed Lark, and Red-rumped Swallow. In total, the book covers more than 230 species, with easy-to-identify species such as Magpie and Kingfisher given minimal coverage so that the more difficult ID issues can be covered as fully as possible.

Birds: ID Insights is ideal for birders of all levels.Its unique layout, comparing the plumages of similar pairs and groups of species, makes it perfect for identifying the more difficult birds found in Britain and other parts of north-west Europe. It has more images showing how to age birds than any comparable guide, and its handy compact size makes it practical for taking out into the field.The book is based on a long-running series of identification features in Bird Watching magazine. Author Dominic Couzens and artist David Nurney have spent years compiling the field notes and artworks for this series, and here their efforts are drawn together and made complete in a single volume that is easy to carry in the field and practical for birders to use.In addition they have expanded the species list from the magazine series and added many new birds, including the likes of Subalpine Warbler, Short-toed Lark, and Red-rumped Swallow. In total, the book covers more than 230 species, with easy-to-identify species such as Magpie and Kingfisher given minimal coverage so that the more difficult ID issues can be covered as fully as possible.