The African Fish Eagle - Leslie Brown
The African Fish Eagle
The Definitive Monograph on the Behavior, Ecology, and Life History of an Iconic African Raptor
The Definitive Monograph on the Behavior, Ecology, and Life History of an Iconic African Raptor
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: The African Fish Eagle
- Author: Leslie Brown
- Publisher: Purnell and Sons (SA) Pty Ltd, Cape Town / Johannesburg / London
- Publication Date: 1980
- ISBN-10: 0868430315
- ISBN-13: 9780868430318
- Edition Details: First Edition, First Printing. Standard Hardcover Release.
- Binding: Original publisher’s premium blue cloth boards, spine sharply titled in crisp white. Housed in the original illustrated dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Octavo (8vo), Roman numerals x + 168 pages (178 pages total). Richly enhanced with full-colour and black-and-white photographs, line drawings, distribution maps, data charts, and extensive tabulated data appendices.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Exterior / Cloth Boards: The deep blue cloth boards are in exceptional, structurally superior condition, remaining square, true, and sharp-cornered. The crisp white spine title lettering is brilliantly bright and completely unrubbed.
- Interior: The text block is firm, secure, and tightly bound. Internal text pages, maps, and photographic plates are remarkably clean, crisp, and intact, showing no signs of foxing, thumbing, library stamps, or previous owner signatures.
- Preservation: Upgraded with a professional, archival-grade removable cellophane cover to insulate the fine cloth from external wear.
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The Dust Jacket: Very Good (VG)
- Condition: The original graphic dust jacket is remarkably bright and complete, displaying only limited, natural signs of standard edge wear and a slight, uniform age-tanning characteristic of this 1980s matte paper stock. Free from heavy chips, prominent tears, or invasive tape restorations.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published in 1980 by Purnell and Sons, The African Fish Eagle stands as the undisputed pinnacle field study and definitive academic monograph dedicated to one of the continent's most majestic and vocal apex raptors.
Published in 1980 by Purnell and Sons, The African Fish Eagle stands as the undisputed pinnacle field study and definitive academic monograph dedicated to one of the continent's most majestic and vocal apex raptors.
Famed ornithologist Leslie Brown brings together more than twenty years of rigorous, hands-on field research conducted across the vast expanse of sub-Saharan Africa—spanning from Nigeria and Ethiopia to Botswana and his home country of Kenya. Brown masterfully translates an enormous accumulation of field data into a highly readable, engaging, and entertaining narrative without sacrificing scientific precision. The book systematically maps out the complete life cycle of the bird across crucial chapters, including its daily rhythmic behaviors, exceptional hunting mechanics, territorial boundaries, complex population regulations, courtship rituals, and fledgling survival challenges. Supplemented by highly detailed data charts, a robust bibliography, and a meticulous pair behavior analysis in its appendices, this rare first edition is a vital cornerstone volume for serious collectors of vintage Africana, specialized ornithology monographs, and classic African wildlife ecology.
Author Profile: Leslie Brown
Leslie H. Brown (1917–1980) was a world-renowned British-born ornithologist, agriculturalist, and author widely regarded as one of the twentieth century's preeminent authorities on birds of prey. Educated at the University of St Andrews and the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture, he spent decades working within the colonial agricultural service in Kenya, allowing him unparalleled access to remote wilderness habitats. A prolific writer and highly precise researcher, his landmark volumes—including Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the World and African Birds of Prey—fundamentally reshaped global raptor conservation efforts and established an enduring academic legacy.
Leslie H. Brown (1917–1980) was a world-renowned British-born ornithologist, agriculturalist, and author widely regarded as one of the twentieth century's preeminent authorities on birds of prey. Educated at the University of St Andrews and the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture, he spent decades working within the colonial agricultural service in Kenya, allowing him unparalleled access to remote wilderness habitats. A prolific writer and highly precise researcher, his landmark volumes—including Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the World and African Birds of Prey—fundamentally reshaped global raptor conservation efforts and established an enduring academic legacy.
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