The clear, accessible text provides a systematic presentation of information organized taxonomically by family based on the latest official guidelines, with detailed and accurate descriptions for each, worldwide distribution maps for every family, and carefully selected profiles of 500 representative species. The book's illustrations include both spectacular and informative color photography by the world's leading wildlife photographers as well as the superb artwork birders have come to expect from National Geographic. Illustrated sidebars complement the family accounts, exploring everything from the courtship dance of the Birds of Paradise to the Harpy Eagle's predatory tactics. The text is wrapped up by a useful glossary and a detailed index that puts an astonishing range of information at the reader's fingertips.