Basics: 1981, softcover, 254 pages, 250+ species with b&w line drawings, Spanish only

This self-published book is one of, if not the, first field guide dedicated to the birds of the Dominican Republic. In relation to the newer field guides available today, this book must be regarded as obsolete and as just a collector’s novelty.

The focus of this guide is its brief text, written exclusively in Spanish. The scientific and English names are provided with the bird and are also found in the index. Alhtough each bird receives its own page, the text typically takes up no more than half of the page. The descriptions are accurate but don’t offer any comparisons to similar species. Additionally, the focus is put on the breeding male, lesser on the female, and little to none on seasonal and juvenile plumages.

Other brief notes describe the habitat, voice, distribution, and status. A small range map for the entire island is shown, but the range reflects only the DR portion of the map.

The small illustrations are black-and-white line drawings. There is one drawing per bird and only of the male. These drawings are “quaint” and offer a general idea of the bird’s appearance, but nothing more. ( )