Accurately identifying and understanding habitats in detail is essential to any birder, naturalist, outdoor enthusiast, or ecologist who wants to get the most out of their experiences in the field. Habitats of the World is the first field guide to the world’s major land habitats—189 in all. Using the format of a natural history field guide, this compact, accessible, and comprehensive book features concise identification descriptions and is richly illustrated—including more than 650 color photographs of habitats and their wildlife, 150 distribution maps, 200 diagrams, and 150 silhouettes depicting each habitat alongside a human figure, providing an immediate grasp of its look and scale. Each major habitat has an illustrated “climate box” that allows easy comparisons between habitats. Thirty other illustrated boxes present clear explanations of complex phenomena affecting habitats—from plate tectonics and mountain formation to fire regimes and climate change. Requiring no scientific background, Habitats of the World offers quick and reliable information for anyone who wants a deeper understanding and appreciation of the habitats around them, whether in their own backyard or while travelling anywhere in the world.
- Covers 189 of the world’s major land habitats
- Provides all the information you need to quickly and accurately identify and understand habitats anywhere in the world
- Features concise text, more than 650 color photographs of habitats and their wildlife, an up-to-date distribution map for each habitat, and hundreds of helpful diagrams and illustrations
Awards and Recognition
- A Birdwatcher's Yearbook Best Bird Book of the Year
- Sixth Place for the 2022 BB/BTO Best Bird Book of the Year, British Birds and the British Trust for Ornithology
Iain Campbell is the coauthor of Birds of Australia and Wildlife of Australia (both Princeton), and a professional nature guide and tropical landscape geochemist. Ken Behrens, Charley Hesse, and Phil Chaon are professional nature guides. Behrens is a coauthor of Birds of Kruger National Park and Wildlife of Madagascar (both Princeton WILDGuides).
"Ideal if you’ve ever wondered what wildlife you might find in the Patagonian steppe or what the difference between maquis and garrigue is."—Penny Sarchet, New Scientist Wild Wild Life
"What a book this is – a Bible of the world’s habitats! The pictures are amazing, with a great variety of birds, mammals and habitats shown. . . . A brilliant guide for the traveller, though, and an enjoyable read."—John Miles, Birdwatching Magazine
"Nature lovers are in for a treat if they’re looking for an easy to interpret, all-in-one ready reference that covers our entire planet’s major ecological habitats. . . . Anyone wanting a deeper understanding and appreciation of the habitats around them, be it from the confines of their narrowboat, or while travelling the world, would do well to invest in this book as a quick and reliable source of information.
"—Kevin Thomas, Towpath Talk
"Hugely ambitious in scope, this guide aims to cover and describe all the main broad habitats of the world . . . . Such a compilation of information, mostly reflecting the experience of the authors, is a remarkable achievement."—Chris and Jude Gibson, British Naturalists Association
"I found this book to be well laid out, clear, informative and interesting. I hadn’t previously considered habitats as something to really look at in close detail but this book has unexpectedly changed that and will likely make a surprisingly welcome addition to many other birders’ bookcases too."—Stephen Menzie, British Birds
"[This] is a fun book, and it contains a wealth of information about habitats, wildlife, and biogeography. It’s certainly required reading for anyone embarking on a nature tour, and it also provides interesting perspective on the habitats on your home turf."—Stefan Woltmann, Association of Field Ornithologists
"[An] astonishing book."—Donna Schulman, American Birding Association
"Packed full of information that is concisely expressed. . . . A book that deserves a place in any birder’s reference library."—Raymond Jeffers, Neotropical Birding
"Concise but informative text and easy-to-understand diagrams."—Stephen Menzie, British Birds and British Trust for Ornithology
