WHERE TO WATCH BIRDS IN EASTERN EUROPE (Hamlyn, London) was published in 1994 in association with BirdLife International. This was a pioneering site guide by Gerard Gorman covering 6 countries in Eastern Europe from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the South (Poland, Slovakia, The Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania & Bulgaria). A total of 144 accessible sites are covered for these countries and there are 10 further pages on European Russia and the Baltic States. There is also a general introduction, an index of birds names, a main map for each country and each individual site has a general description and map reference followed by paragraphs on calendar, species and access. There are numerous sketch maps, attractive line drawings by Mark Andrews and 8 stunning colour pages illustrating 80 of the special birds of the region by Clive Byers. This important book detailed many sites for the very first time and is widely regarded as indispensable to the birder visiting Eastern Europe.

Quote from a review...

WOODPECKERS OF EUROPE by Gerard Gorman (2004) is the definitive handbook to the ten species of Picidae that occur in Europe. As all ten woodpeckers occur in the Czech Republic this book is important reading for birders visiting the country. Furthermore the Czech Republic supplied the author with many important observations that were subsequently used in the book.

WETLANDS OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC  is a detailed booklet (edited by our good friend Josef Chytil and Pavlina Hakrova) published by the Czech Ramsar Committee. Though not a birder's site guide, being rather a conservation document, it does include much detailed information and colour photos of the country's important lakes, fishponds, peatbogs, floodplains and rivers and their flora and fauna.

IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC:  the new (2002) English edition of this excellent and important book is produced by the CSO. Packed with detailed information and superb colour photos of the country's most important bird habitats.

ATLAS HNIZDNIHO ROZSIRENI PTAKU KRKONOS (1991-1994)  by Jiri Flousek & Bozena Gramsz (Sprava Krkonosskeho narodniho parku Vrchlabi, 1999). This excellent atlas of the breeding birds of the Krkonose Mountains is in Czech and Polish (Krkonose spans both countries) but also has a very useful 5 page section in English. English, German and scientific names for all species are also given and the book's maps and photographs speak for themselves. All birders visiting this fine upland area will find it useful as background information.

BIRDS OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC  by Josef Kren (Helm/A & C Black, 2000) is the only book in English which deals solely with the avifauna of the Czech Republic. However, it must be said that reservations (some very strong) have been expressed by local birders and ornithologists as to the usefulness and accuracy of some of the content. But it is in English and is full of background information and maps and is thus useful reading for anyone planing a visit to the country for the first time.
 

•     Bohemia Bound. Birdwatch, Vol.2.No.1. January, 1993.
•      After the Fall. Living Bird, Summer Issue (1993).
•      Birding in the Czech Republic. Birding World, Vol.7.No.5.(1994).
•       Fish-ponds in Eastern Europe. Wildfowl & Wetlands, No.110, Spring-Summer, 1994.
•      Changes in the East. Wildfowl & Wetlands, No.112, Summer,1995.
•      Birding the Fishponds of Eastern Europe. BirdWatcher's Digest Vol.20. No.5 (1998).
•      Black Woodpecker in Europe - Britain next? Birding World Vol.11.10 (1998).
•      Pecking Order (Finding Woodpeckers). Birdwatch, Issue 81, March 1999.
•      The Identification of Syrian Woodpecker. Alula, Vol.5, 3/1999.
•      Critical Mass:Birding in Middle Europe. Birdwatch, Issue 104, Feruary 2001.
 © czechbirding.com 2004


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