This completely revised field guide to one of Africa’s finest birding spots, the Kruger National Park and adjacent Lowveld, is packed with new information on all of the more than 550 species that have been recorded to date.

This includes updated text and distribution maps based on data from the Southern African Bird Atlas Project 2, hundreds of new illustrations, new sections with bird tracks and bird habitats and the latest rarity information.

Incorporating information from literally hundreds of observers and contributors, this field guide sets a new standard for the region’s varied avifauna.

The John Voelcker Bird Book Fund (JVBBF) is proud to publish Roberts Geographic Variation of Southern African Birds, an illustrated version of aspects dealt with under the subject of Geographic Variation in the large handbook tome Roberts Birds of Southern Africa 7th Edition.

Worldwide, this is the first field guide to attempt to comprehensively illustrate the varied plumages that are exhibited by the region's birds. Although sometimes a camouflage and defence mechanism against predation, many other factors contribute to plumage variation and it is hoped that this guide will stimulate the reader's interest in this complex subject so that we can further our knowledge on various subspecies, a concept that was brought to the fore a little over 100 years ago.

The colour maps (courtesy of Guy Upfold), are a guide to the distribution of the subspecies; included too are the meaning of scientific names (Etymology).

This information, together with 105 annotated plates illustrated by the exceptional talent of Ingrid Weiersbye, makes this guide essential for both beginner and expert birders.

The Roberts Bird Guide (2nd Edition) has gone to great trouble to concentrate on, and illustrate, difficult-to-identify species and family groups such as raptors, warblers, cisticolas and waders. Special attention has been given to make sure there is far greater coverage of male-female differences and there are also many more juvenile illustrations. Unlike all previously published southern African bird guides, this new edition will be scattered with informative photographs that are incorporated in the text pages and each plate illustration is augmented with an introduction. Apart from the approximately 240 plate spreads, the guide also has 12 photographic and illustrated double spreads that show head enlargements and other details. Plates are annotated far more definitively than other guides – highlighting key identification features, especially for difficult-to-identify species.