• those whose scope is taxonomic in nature (e.g. dealing with a particular family of birds on a worldwide scale) - most early Helm Guides were of this type, as well as many more-recent ones, although some later books deal with identification of such groups on a regional scale only (e.g. the Gulls guide which covers only species found in Europe, Asia and North America)
• those whose scope is geographic in nature, and where all bird species found in that area are included (e.g. The Birds of the West Indies)

Early volumes were sometimes published under the Croom Helm or Christopher Helm imprints. In addition, a parallel set of guides, very similar in design, was published by Pica Press in the 1990s (marked Pica in the list below); Pica was later absorbed into A & C Black (now part of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc), and all guides are now marketed as a single series.

Several of the books have won the British Birds Bird Book of the Year award. A list of titles in the series, in chronological order of publication, is as follows:

Works with a taxonomic scope

Note: 'nW' indicates those which do not have worldwide coverage.

1980s

• Seabirds - an identification guide by Peter Harrison (1983) ISBN 0-7470-1410-8
• Shorebirds - an identification guide to the waders of the world by John Marchant, A. J. Prater and Peter Hayman (1986) ISBN 0-7470-1403-5
• Wildfowl - an identification guide to the ducks, geese and swans of the world by Steve Madge and Hilary Burn (1988) ISBN 0-7470-2201-1
• A Handbook to the Swallows and Martins of the World by Angela Turner, illustrated by Chris Rose (1989) ISBN 0-7136-4206-8

1990-1994

• Kingfishers, Bee-eaters and Rollers - A Handbook by C. Hilary Fry and Kathie Fry, illustrated by Alan Harris (1992) ISBN 0-7136-8028-8
• Finches and Sparrows by Peter Clement, illustrated by Alan Harris and John Davis (1993) ISBN 0-7136-8017-2
• Crows and Jays - A Guide to the Crows, Jays and Magpies of the World by Steve Madge, illustrated by Hilary Burn (1994) ISBN 0-7136-3999-7
• Woodpeckers by Hans Winkler, translated by David Christie, illustrated by Dave Nurney (1995) ISBN 1-873403-25-9 'Pica'
• New World Warblers by Jon Curson, illustrated by David Quinn and David Beadle (1994) ISBN 0-7136-3932-6

1995-1999

• Buntings and Sparrows - A Guide to the Buntings and North American Sparrows by Urban Olsson and Jon Curson, illustrated by Clive Byers (1995) ISBN 1-873403-19-4 'Pica'
• Terns of Europe and North America by Klaus Malling Olsen, illustrated by Hans Larsson (1995) ISBN 0-7136-4056-1 'nW'
• Swifts - A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World by Phil Chantler, illustrated by Gerald Driessens (1995) ISBN 1-873403-31-3 'Pica'
• Tits, Nuthatches & Treecreepers by Simon Harrap, illustrated by David Quinn (1996) ISBN 0-7136-3964-4
• Munias and Mannikins by Robin Restall (1996) ISBN 1-873403-51-8
• Skuas and Jaegers - a guide to the skuas and jaegers of the world by Klaus Malling Olsen, illustrated by Hans Larsson (1997) ISBN 1-873403-46-1 'Pica'
• Shrikes - A Guide to the Shrikes of the World, by Norbert Lefranc, illustrated by Tim Worfolk (1997) ISBN 1-873403-47-X 'Pica'
• Nightjars - A Guide to Nightjars and related Nightbirds by Nigel Cleere, illustrated by Dave Nurney (1998) ISBN 1-873403-48-8 'Pica'
• Parrots - A Guide to the Parrots of the World by Tony Juniper and Mike Parr, illustrated by Kim Franklin, Robin Restall, Dan Powell, David Johnston and Carl D'Silva (1998) ISBN 1-873403-40-2 'Pica'
• Rails - a guide to the rails, crakes, gallinules and coots of the world by Barry Taylor, illustrated by Ber van Perlo (1998) ISBN 0300077580 'Pica'
• Starlings and Mynas by Chris Feare and Adrian Craig, illustrated by Barry Croucher, Chris Shields and Kamol Komolphalin (1998) ISBN 0-7136-3961-X
• Owls - a Guide to the Owls of the World by Claus Konig & Friedhelm Weick and Jan-Hendrik Becking (1999) ISBN 1-873403-74-7 'Pica'
• New World Blackbirds - the Icterids by Alvaro Jaramillo and Peter Burke (1999) ISBN 0-7136-4333-1

2000-2004

• Thrushes by Peter Clement, illustrated by Ren Hathway (2000) ISBN 0-7136-3940-7
• Shrikes and Bush-shrikes by Tony Harris, illustrated by Kim Franklin (2000) ISBN 0-7136-3861-3
• Raptors of the World by James Ferguson-Lees and David Christie, illustrated by Kim Franklin, David Mead and Philip Burton (2001) ISBN 0-7136-8026-1
• Pigeons and Doves by David Gibbs, illustrated by Eustace Barnes and John Cox (2001) ISBN 1-873403-60-7
• Sylvia Warblers - identification, taxonomy and phylogeny of the genus Sylvia, by Hadoram Shirihai, Gabriel Gargallo and Andreas J. Helbig, illustrated by Alan Harris, photographic editor David Cottridge (2001) ISBN 0-7136-3984-9
• Sunbirds - A Guide to the Sunbirds, Flowerpeckers, Spiderhunters and Sugarbirds of the World by Robert A. Cheke and Clive F. Mann, illustrated by Richard Allen (2001) ISBN 1-873403-80-1
• Wrens, Dippers and Thrashers by David Brewer, illustrated by Barry Kent MacKay (2001) ISBN 1-873403-95-X
• Stonechats - A Guide to the Genus Saxicola by Ewan Urquhart, illustrated by Adam Bowley (2002) ISBN 0-7136-6024-4
• Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse - a guide to the Pheasants, Partridges, Quails, Grouse, Guineafowl, Buttonquails and Sandgrouse of the World by Steve Madge and Phil MacGowan (2002) ISBN 0-7136-3966-0
• Pipits and Wagtails of Europe, Asia and North America, by Per Alstrom & Krister Mild, illustrated by Bill Zetterstrom (2003) ISBN 0-7136-5834-7 'nW'
• Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America by Klaus Malling Olsen, illustrated by Hans Larsson (2003) ISBN 0-7136-7087-8 'nW'

Works with a geographic scope

External links

• Publisher website