I did some serious looking for this set and got lucky at the UW
Suzzallo library. Good luck on checking them out.

Larry Schwitters
Issaquah

On Dec 18, 2010, at 5:19 PM, Dennis Paulson wrote:

> I'm sure most of you have seen the Handbook of Birds of the World,
> now up to 15 volumes with one more to come. In my opinion (and that
> of many reviewers), these are among the very best bird books ever
> written. Too bad they are prohibitively expensive for many - I have
> them only because I subscribed from the beginning, and they have
> been affordable in that way.
>
> I'm writing to point out a little-touted aspect of these books, the
> Foreword that since Vol. 4 is alway a review of some ornithological
> topic. Here is a list of those topics, by volume.
>
> 4 - species concepts and species limits in ornithology
> 5 - risk indicators and status assessment in birds
> 6 - avian bioacoustics
> 7 - extinct birds
> 8 - a brief history of classifying birds
> 9 - ornithological nomenclature
> 10 - the ecology and impact of non-indigenous birds
> 11 - ecological significance of bird populations
> 12 - fossil birds
> 13 - bird migration
> 14 - birding (a history thereof)
> 15 - bird conservation
>
> I don't know if these books are available at libraries or not, but
> anyone with an interest in any of the subjects listed should know
> that these references are available. Vol. 1 was published in 1992,
> so the earlier reviews are getting somewhat out of date, but they
> are still worth reading.
>
> Dennis
> -----
> Dennis Paulson
> 1724 NE 98 St.
> Seattle, WA 98115
> 206-528-1382
> dennispaulson at comcast.net
>
>
>
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