luster

My husband and I traveling to Tanzania in February. We are birders and look forward to seeing new birds! I'm curious what guide books have folks purchased/used for this part of the Africa? We're new to traveling to Africa and I've found some good guides, but they look rather big & bulky. Curious to hear what folks have traveled with.

rsnyder

For 3 of our 4 trips to Tanzania we have taken "Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa" by Terry Stevenson and John Fanshawe, published by T & A D Poyser, London. Some 600 pages with 285 color plate representations. Yes, it is somewhat bulky being hardback but next to our cameras and binocs is deemed worthy of being carried. In fact, our copy is in our carry on items. If I recall the primary three guides we had in Tanzania during those trips used the same book. That was convenient when pointing out a particular bird. Looking forward to hearing about your trip. Have a great safari!

safarichuck

Our favorite field guide is "Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania" by Zimmerman, Turner, and Pearson. It is one of the Princeton Field Guides and is available at Amazon.com. It is rather large but I imagine you will be using it primarily from a vehicle or in your tent and not carrying it around. Our guides have always favored this guide as well but I know their are several other good field guides; I don't think any are on the small side. Enjoy the birding, it is exceptional.

Gritty

I think one reason African bird guides are big and bulky is because there are so many species there. My guide to southern African birds is similar to my North American guides in print and illustration size, but it's almost twice as thick!

You will really enjoy birding in Africa.

ann_nyc

Wildlife of East Africa by martin Withers and David Hosking.

This book is physically smaller and lighter than a lot of the other books. Obviously it doesn't include as many species, but the selection of which species it does contain is pretty good.

Since our guide has a much bigger book, it worked out perfectly. 95% of what we saw was in my nice little book, and for the rarer wildlife, we resorted to the guide's book.

Since your particular interest is birding, you may have more sophisticated needs than I did, however.

ovenbird

When we went to Kenya and Tanzania in 2002, the Stevenson book (ST) had just been published so we took it along with the Zimmerman/Turner book (ZT). However, all the local guides used the ZT and had only heard of the ST. Back then, the ZT was the bible of bird ID...the guides had even memorized the birds by plate number. We birded Tanzania last and gave the ST to our guide Adam as part of his gratuity.

The ST is now out in paperback, but it is as big as and weighs almost as much as the hardcover one. Like rsnyder, we prefer the ST over ZT and took it to Uganda as well in 2006.

I'm sure you will have a wonderful safari. The birding in East Africa is amazing, as if the mammals aren't enough!

luster

Thanks for your feedback- it was all very helpful and helped me to narrow which book to purchase. I did decide to purchase the Terry Stevenson book. Though I really do want to purchase both books, for we like to bird and collect nature field guides, and enjoy books!!

We leave in exactly two weeks, and now after many little errands, we are beginning to get more excited. The closer our departure date is, the more real it becomes!