Welcome!

This site showcases the forthcoming Christopher Helm title Handbook of Western Palearctic Birds by Hadoram Shirihai & Lars Svensson. This long-awaited book is the finest and most complete identification handbook of the birds of Western Palearctic ever produced. Unlike many other guides, the handbook is illustrated with high-quality photography, which, together with the comprehensive text, details the entire plumage spectrum and geographical variation of every species in the region. The book is packed with information that will guide you through the complexities of ageing and sexing, and enable you to identify challenging species and plumages in the field. The book also contains details of the very latest taxonomic research. Here is a selection of sample pages from the handbook - click on one for a closer look.

The Photographic Collection

The Handbook team has established a Western Palearctic Photo Collection of almost all the bird species, races and plumage variations that occur in the region. More than 100 photographers have already contributed to the collection, including many of the most experienced and talented in Europe. However, we are still seeking to improve the collection and to find good images of a few of the missing species, subspecies and plumages. Thus, we are inviting contributions from photographers with high-quality or useful (for identification or ageing/sexing purposes) photographs taken in the field. Click here for a list of gaps in the collection. Note that we are also interested in high-quality images of more common species that do not appear on this list. For information and guidelines on how to submit photographs please click here.