Basics: 2002, softcover, 512 pages, 750+ color photos, 668 species, range maps

Princeton has put out a few books that follow this same photo guide format. It should be noted this book is not a complete guide. It shows only 668 (45%) of the region’s nearly 1,500 species. However, this book does illustrate more species than any other single photo-book available for the subcontinent. Most of the birds are shown with a single color photo. About 10% of the birds have two photos.

The selection of photos is good for 85-90% of the birds. They show the bird in good light and in the open for a clear view. Some of these birds are displayed a bit small but generally well enough to be identified. The remaining 10-15% of the photos are of low quality. These are often too small, too dark, too grainy, too obscured, or too indistinct to allow proper identification. Some photos appear to be included merely because a photo of any sort was available. Since most of the birds have only one photo, this book won’t be helpful for immature birds, various races, or many of the females.

The paragraphs of text are brief and cover description, voice, and habits. The description, composed of 8-12 short lines, takes up about half of the text. These descriptions offer some details but are not in-depth enough to offer help for identifying many of the similar species. This section on habits covers habitat preference and some behavioral notes. The voice is generally described in 2-4 short lines.

Each bird receives the same map of the Indian subcontinent, containing two colors: Red for resident or breeding summer visitor and blue for non-breeding winter visitor. The map shows Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The ranges shown for the birds artificially stop at the political boundaries of these countries.

Will this book be useful for a trip to India or the adjacent countries? Yes, but keep in mind the limitations that (a) less than half the species are shown and (b) only one of the plumages is shown. For a birding trip to India, you'll want to use one of the complete field guides, a couple of which are very good. Use this photo guide to help prepare for your trip but rely on an illustrated guide for your field excursions. The books by Rasmussen or by Grimmett are superior to this.

I’ve listed several related books below…
1) Birds Of South Asia: The Ripley Guide, Volumes 1 & 2 by Rasmussen
2) Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives by Grimmett
3) A Guide to the Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives by Grimmett
4) Birds of Nepal by Grimmett
5) Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by Grewal
6) Birds of Western Ghats, Kokan, and Malabar by Pande
7) A Field Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by Kazmierczak
8) A Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java, and Bali by MacKinnon
9) A Photographic Guide to Birds of India and Nepal by Grewal
10) A Photographic Guide to Birds of the Himalayas by Grewal ( )