A big hit with the reviewers!

Rosemary Low brings together her experiences of journeys to the Neotropics beginning with a trip to the Caribbean in 1975. Over the next 33 years her trips involved explorations in a large number of South American countries. The emphasis is firmly on the parrots but includes other birds, fauna, habitats, places, people, cultures and adventures… Knowing of her parrot passion, interest in geography and travelling, I thought it would be an absorbing book, and how right I was!

Rosemary kept detailed travel diaries on most of her trips, and this, along with being able to refer to her many published articles, gives accounts of even her earliest trips a satisfying immediacy… an interesting and informative book. Highly recommended for bird-lovers, especially parrot enthusiasts.

Graeme Hyde, Cage & Aviary Birds, March 4 2010.

This book will appeal to a wide audience, not only aviculturists and twitchers, but to those who enjoy tales of exploration and wish to know a little of the environment of the countries visited. Rosemary vividly sets the scene, recalling all sensory experiences so that the reader can imagine themselves with her. Her sheer enthusiasm for the jungle forests, flora and fauna is infectious and makes you want to read on further. She writes: "The lure of parrots in the wild draws me back to the tropics over and over again. It provides me with a satisfaction that is unlike any others and strengthens my desire to aid their conservation."

Each chapter includes a map highlighting the areas mentioned, photographs of several of the birds described and an ecological update, the inauguration of a Conservation Area or recent figures relating to the increase/decrease of a particular species.

… This is a book I have particularly enjoyed reading and one I can wholeheartedly recommend to others who enjoy tales of birds, people and unknown localities. Buy now for an engrossing read.

Eunice Spilman, Amazona Society magazine, February 2010. (also available from the Amazona Society UK).

A definite must-read for parrot lovers, perspective travelers, and those arm chair travelers who would like to escape and travel vicariously through the author’s descriptive accounts of her South American birding adventures…. You can feel Rosemary’s excitement and fascination as she shares some of her most treasured moments of travel. As a parrot lover myself, this book truly fulfilled my craving/desire to read and learn more about parrots. However, this book opened my eyes to admire and value a wider variety of birds. For example, it’s hard not to share the author’s enthusiasm as she recounts the performance of a male Golden-collared Manakin displaying his courtship dance to gain the attention of a potential mate. Or the emotional impact the author felt observing the breathtaking beauty of eight to t en Cock of the Rocks dancing at a lek in Ecuador.

This book describes the advances and accomplishments of conservation projects that have helped parrots live longer, better lives in the wild. From land purchases and creating Natural Park reserves to protect habitat and safeguard the parrots; to reintroductions of Scarlet Macaws in Costa Rica by Amigos de los Aves; the reintroduction of Blue and Gold Macaws by Bernadette Plair in Trinidad…

This book was enlightening and fun! Like I was reading my own diary notes of trips I have taken with my husband Mark. Many to the same locations, so I can honestly say this highly regarded author of more than 20 books conveyed an accurate description of the places and projects she visited. Rosemary was ahead of the times as far as eco tourism birding. A lot has changed in 30 years. She writes: "Today’s birders don’t know how lucky they are!"

Marie Stafford, Parrots International on-line magazine,

number 1 2010

Translated from the German by Tony Pittman

A spectacular volume with impressive photos of the wild does not await the reader, but a type of travel diary with all the highs and lows, which trravellers in remote regions generally experience. The illustrations are monochrome and the maps are drawn by hand. In contrast to other travellers, who are only interested in parrots and parakeets and often wilfully ignore the country and its people, Rosemary Low is enthusiastic about hummingbirds, manakins, raptors and other rare birds and describes comprehensively the not always straight-forward working conditions of local conservationists and the life of the local people… She condemns the destructive greed of oil companies, which in Ecuador seek to destroy the ‘crown jewels’ of the Amazon, praises the successful activities of conservationists in Costa Rica and Argentina, and censures the habitat destruction rolling over Central America.

It is gripping to see how things have changed in the time she has been involved (the author describes 23 journeys taken between 1975 and 2008). This situation was decisive for the author to write this very readable book. Low wishes to alert the reader to the problems of neo-tropical parrots before it is too late.

Rainer Niemann, Papageien, April 2010.