With the publication of landmark volumes on the songbirds of South America, Robert S. Ridgely and Guy Tudor established themselves as leading authorities in the field. These volumes are celebrated as essential references for both professional ornithologists and avocational birders, providing comprehensive scientific coverage of the continent's passerines. Recognizing the need for a compact field guide, Ridgely and Tudor have extracted and updated key identification information to create a definitive guide for birders. This guide features 121 color plates showcasing Guy Tudor's detailed paintings of over 1,500 species, including more than 400 not illustrated in previous works. Additionally, it includes 160 color illustrations of subspecies and females, along with extensively updated color range maps for all species, prepared by Ridgely with assistance from Maria Allen and Terry Clarke. The guide also contains authoritative accounts of nearly 2,000 species, detailing abundance, habitat, range, elevational preference, taxonomic changes, plumage descriptions, general behavior, vocalizations, and range beyond South America where applicable. This comprehensive resource is designed for birders seeking essential identification tools in the field.
