The Birds of Egypt and the Middle East

Covering 280 bird species in Egypt and the Middle East, Hoath, a fellow of the Zoological Society of London and a faculty member at The American University of Cairo, has created an indispensable and compact identification guide for the ardent birdwatcher and casual enthusiast. Entries feature color photographs for each bird with details regarding size, distribution, habits and habitat. Particularly enticing for birdwatchers, the region sits astride one of the great flyways of the globe, and hundreds of species—from raptors and cranes to wagtails and bee-eaters—make the twice-yearly migration, for which the guide provides advice on hotspots to witness one of nature’s greatest spectacles. In his introduction, Hoath highlights the unusual benefit of being able to use the guidebook to identify not only the birds seen outdoors but also the ones that soar through the reeds and marshes of ancient Egyptian tomb paintings.

—KYLE PAKKA