African Birds of Prey by Leslie Brown

African Birds of Prey (Collectible Raptor Study in Pictorial Jacket)

Leslie Brown's species-by-species study of Africa's eagles, hawks, falcons, vultures and owls

Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: African Birds of Prey
• Author: Leslie Brown
• Publisher: Collins, London
• Publication Date: 1970
• ISBN-10: 000211044X
• Binding: Publisher's tan cloth-covered boards in a red pictorial dust jacket with black bird illustrations.
• Physical Format: Octavo (8vo) hardcover, illustrated with line drawings.
• Language: English

Official Condition Report

• The Book: Very Good (VG)
• Exterior / Boards: The plain tan cloth boards are clean, with no marks or damage visible, and the spine is straight. The top and fore edges of the text block are toned.
• Interior: The pages are clean and cream-toned, with no writing, stamps or foxing. The binding is tight. There is a faint ghost mark of offset text on the right side of the title page.
• The Dust Jacket: Present, in a red pictorial jacket with black bird illustrations. Wear includes chipping and loss at the head of the spine with rubbed, faded title lettering, small chips and creasing along the spine edges, a small white loss on the front panel near the spine, rubbing and chipping to the back panel edge, and a tear and crease at the top corner of the front flap. The back panel is toned with light spotting and the flaps are toned. The jacket is protected in a durable archival-type plastic cover.

Synopsis & Historical Value

African Birds of Prey by Leslie Brown, published by Collins in London in 1970, is a species-by-species study of the raptors of the African continent, covering the day-hunting birds (falcons, hawks, eagles and vultures) as well as the owls.

The book opens with an account of how predation works, then moves through each group and species in turn. It closes with chapters on the ecology, distribution, migration, populations, feeding and breeding of raptors across Africa. The text is illustrated with line drawings.

Brown's raptor fieldwork in East Africa is regarded as pioneering, and this title has since been cited as a standard reference in raptor conservation literature. It remains a useful and handsome companion for collectors of Africana natural history.

Author Profile: Leslie Brown

Leslie Hilton Brown (1917-1980) was born in Coonoor, British India, and died in Karen, Kenya. He joined the Colonial Agricultural Service in 1940 and retired in 1963 as Chief Agriculturist for Kenya, going on to become one of the foremost authorities on birds of prey. He received the British Ornithologists' Union Medal in 1970.

His other books include Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the World (with Dean Amadon, 1968), Eagles of the World (1976), Birds of Prey of the World (1980), The African Fish Eagle (1980) and Birds of Africa (1982).

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