Sparrows and Buntings: A Guide to the Sparrows and Buntings of North America and the World

Rating:
Summary: ONLY the Holarctic Embrizines (defined by Sibley & Monro)!
Review: This book is worth the price for the excellent illustrations, but beware: it is mis-titled.According to the Introduction, it should have been titled: Holarctic Embrizinae - for example noPasserina bunting is included (Indigo, Lazuli, etc.) since they are Cardinalinae. It only shows 110 species, none tropical or from the southern hemisphere. It also uses Sibley & Monro taxonomy, so completely lacks the following expected species: seed-eaters, grassquits, brush-finches, etc. The accounts and illiustrations get a 10; the misleading title gets a 1. Did Houghton-Mifflin add the title for marketing reasons? Only the authors know . . .