This is an identification guide to all world species of the true finches and sparrows. It describes the plumages and most distinctive races of all 290 species in the Fringillidae, Carduelidae, Estrildidae and Passeridae families. Each species has a colour map showing its distribution. The book is in the same series as Kingfishers, Bee-eaters and Rollers which won the British Birds Bird Book of the Year 1992 award.