This volume is the first in a planned series of seven books intended to cover the biology of all the birds of Africa including year-round residents and migrants. It contains Martin Woodcock and Peter Hayman's excellent colour plates of every species described and many subspecies. It also gives distribution maps for every species mentioned. This volume contains the Struthioniformes, Procellariiformes, Sphenisciformes, Gaviiformes, Podicipediformes, Pelecaniformes, Ciconiiformes, Phoenicopteriformes, Anseriformes and Falconiformes.