Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa by Maclean, Gordon Lindsay
Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa (Premium Sixth Edition Copy)
An Unrivalled, Completely Rewritten Reference Work on the Region's Rich Avian Heritage
An Unrivalled, Completely Rewritten Reference Work on the Region's Rich Avian Heritage
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa
- Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean
- Publisher: New Holland Publishers, London / Cape Town (for the Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund)
- Publication Date: 1993
- ISBN-13: 9780620175838
- Edition Details: Sixth Edition, First Impression. Standard Hardcover Issue.
- Binding: Publisher's original full cloth boards with gilt-stamped spine lettering.
- Physical Format: Thick Octavo (8vo), lxxx + 871 pages. Lavishly illustrated with 80 full-colour plates, over 900 updated distribution maps, rainfall charts, vegetation indexes, and sonograms.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Exterior / Boards: The original cloth boards are exceptionally flat, square, and structurally sound, showing only microscopic signs of storage shelf-wear at the base and corner tips. The spine remains entirely straight, rigid, and undamaged, with sharp gilt lettering.
- Interior: The text block is robustly bound, tight, and completely square. The pages, full-colour plates, and distribution maps are clean, crisp, and completely free of foxing, highlighting, dog-ears, or dealer pencil markings.
- Provenance: Features a neat, contemporary presentation gift inscription penned on the preliminary first page, adding a touch of personal history while remaining unobtrusive.
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The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Exterior: Present and beautifully maintained under a protective cellophane cover. The jacket retains high gloss and vivid colouration, showing only minimal, superficial signs of handling along the top edges. Free from major chipping, fading, or tattered tears.
Synopsis & Historical Value
First published in 1940 by Austin Roberts, "Roberts' Birds" has long stood as the definitive handbook and gold standard for African ornithology. This completely rewritten Sixth Edition represents a monumental updating of the classic text by Professor Gordon Lindsay Maclean. Illustrating 891 bird species in magnificent full colour, the volume incorporates a massive amount of new data, including two completely new plates of species added to the Southern African list and newly painted illustrations by renowned artists Geoff Lockwood and Kenneth Newman.
First published in 1940 by Austin Roberts, "Roberts' Birds" has long stood as the definitive handbook and gold standard for African ornithology. This completely rewritten Sixth Edition represents a monumental updating of the classic text by Professor Gordon Lindsay Maclean. Illustrating 891 bird species in magnificent full colour, the volume incorporates a massive amount of new data, including two completely new plates of species added to the Southern African list and newly painted illustrations by renowned artists Geoff Lockwood and Kenneth Newman.
Designed to aid both serious researchers and enthusiastic birdwatchers, this edition introduces advanced identification aids, dichotomous keys for beginners, and expanded text sections. The revolutionary, enlarged multi-colour distribution maps allow readers to see a bird's status at a glance—distinguishing between resident (green), breeding migrant (blue), and non-breeding migrant (yellow) populations. It also uniquely integrates sonograms for vocalization interpretation and provides comprehensive multi-language indexes across local African languages, ensuring its place as a cornerstone collectible for natural history enthusiasts.
Author Profile: Gordon Lindsay Maclean
Professor Gordon Lindsay Maclean (1937–2002) was an internationally acclaimed South African ornithologist, academic, and author. He served as a Professor of Zoology at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, where he dedicated decades to the study of desert avian adaptations and ecophysiology. Maclean was widely celebrated for his ability to translate rigorous, complex scientific data into accessible field literature. His total revision of the fifth and sixth editions of Roberts' Birds cemented his legacy as one of the most influential figures in southern African natural history, earning him prestigious accolades from academic institutions and wildlife societies globally.
Professor Gordon Lindsay Maclean (1937–2002) was an internationally acclaimed South African ornithologist, academic, and author. He served as a Professor of Zoology at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, where he dedicated decades to the study of desert avian adaptations and ecophysiology. Maclean was widely celebrated for his ability to translate rigorous, complex scientific data into accessible field literature. His total revision of the fifth and sixth editions of Roberts' Birds cemented his legacy as one of the most influential figures in southern African natural history, earning him prestigious accolades from academic institutions and wildlife societies globally.
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