This encyclopedic work has beautiful color plates, references, and index. Bird lovers and ornithology researchers will find this title a valuable reference.(American Reference Books Annual) Forshaw and Knight have provided a thorough, well-organized, and aesthetic work that not only inspires us to look back at what we have lost but also forward to prevent further extinctions; we can learn from past mistakes.(The Quarterly Review of Biology) In sum, this is a valuable book with a great many strengths. Forshaw is a master of collecting pertinent information from a broad array of sources; the result is a rich collection of species accounts that surpasses in detail those in any of his preceding books. The artwork by Knight complements these accounts and brings them to vibrant life.(The Condor)