Winging The Bornean Skies Among Birds Of Brunei, Sabah
Young Adult Non-Fiction Ornithology Birdwatching Field Guide Southeast Asian Natural History Wildlife Photography Eco-travel Borneo Malaysian Regional Studies
First-edition hardcover copies of Mark Hessels’ “Winging the Bornean Skies: Among Birds of Brunei, Sabah & Sarawak” are sought-after by regional natural-history collectors because the 2008 print run was small and most copies went straight to university libraries. This copy arrives in very-good condition—clean, unmarked pages, tight binding, original dust jacket—so it offers the next owner the same crisp photos and field notes Hessels gathered while criss-crossing Borneo’s cloud forests, peat swamps and alpine meadows. For birders who want a single reference that covers all 650-odd species recorded in the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak plus the Sultanate of Brunei, this is still the most comprehensive single-volume guide ever published on the island.
What makes the book special is Hessels’ dual approach: each plate pairs a large, gallery-quality photograph with a concise data panel that lists altitude range, micro-habitat, vocalisations, seasonal movements and Bornean endemism status. Instead of endless plumage diagrams you get behavioural shots—a White-fronted Falconet mantling over a cicada, a Bornean Bristlehead prospecting for saps—so you learn how to recognise birds by posture and feeding style, not just colour. The introductory chapters double as a traveller’s primer, advising on forest trails, seasonal fruiting events and the best canopy walkways for photography, turning the volume into both ID guide and trip planner.
Collectors value first editions for the superior image resolution and heavier art-paper stock that later reprints never matched; the dust-jacket’s metallic-blue Pitta illustration is already iconic among Asian bird-book enthusiasts. Because the title straddles genres—natural history, photography, eco-tourism and regional culture—it appeals equally to: - Young adult readers building a Southeast Asian nature library - Professional guides who need a quick-reference checklist - Art lovers who display coffee-table wildlife books
Secure now while clean, jacketed copies remain available; Borneo’s avifauna is changing fast and Hessels’ 2008 baseline record grows more valuable each field season.
Refer to our eBay listing for a full condition report and many more high-quality pictures of this item.
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