Book excerpt: This well-illustrated volume covers the passerines of Singapore, peninsular Malaysia, southern Thailand and the tip of Tenasserim (Burma) with their associated island archipelagos. David Wells' historically complete accounts draw on a full range of recent field and museum research. Over 380 species are described, including topics such as systematics, distribution, plumage, biometrics, status, habitat, food and foraging, voice, behaviour, breeding biology, moult and conservation. Along with an accompanying volume, on nonpasserine species, it brings together the most complete modern summery of field survey work and other research on all the birds found in the peninsula.