βThis book is for anyone who loves nature photography or birdingΒ .Β .Β . A fine introduction to the beauty and diversity of this region.β βSoutheastern Naturalist
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From Belize to Brazil, the forests of the American neotropics are home to an astonishing array of birdsβover 3,700 different species, or nearly forty percent of all the birds on earth. Birding enthusiasts Vera and Bob Thornton have spent fifteen years photographing these special and exotic birds in the rainforests of eleven different countries of Central and South America. In this book, youβll find more than a hundred spectacular color photographs they took during their travels, along with a highly entertaining account of their adventuresβand misadventuresβin chasing these exotic neotropicals.
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The birds pictured here are among the Thorntonsβ personal favoritesβbirds that, in their words, βeither dazzled us with their beauty, or charmed us by their behavior, or, in a few cases, simply challenged us by the mystique of their rarity.β This latter category includes such elusive and sought-after birds as the Black-crowned Antpitta, the Zigzag Heron, the Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo, the Bare-necked Umbrellabird, and the monkey-eating Harpy Eagle. In the accompanying text, Bob Thornton engagingly describes the challenges as well as the magic of negotiating the neotropical rainforests in search of colorful birds to photograph. For those who would like to follow in the Thorntonsβ footsteps, there are also helpful tips about photographic gear and techniques, preferred places to see the birds, lodging, and guides. For everyone who enjoys excellent nature photography, Chasing Neotropical Birds is a must-have volume.