Birds of the Indian Ocean islands is a comprehensive guide to the bird life of Madagascar, the Seychelles, the Comoros, and the Mascarenes - an area that boasts high levels of endemism. This new, expanded edition is fully updated to reflect taxonomic changes, and now describes and illustrates 502 species. The species accounts cover the birds` appearance, basic behaviour, preferred habitats, geographical distribution and IUCN threat status. The text is complemented by newly designed plates with labels pinpointing key differentiating features. The introduction includes maps for each island, lists the region`s 211 endemic species, and gives pointers on where to go bird-watching.