The Handbook has established itself as an authoritative work of reference for Europe, together with the Middle East to Turkey, Iran, and Jordan, and Africa south to about 19° N. This seventh volume covers the flycatchers, tits, babblers, nuthatches, wallcreepers, treecreepers, sunbirds, orioles, and shrikes. Described in this volume are 45 species with specially commissioned colour plates from Norman Arlott, Kim Franklin, Alan Harris, and Chris Rose. The eight volumes will include descriptions of over 760 species, of which 600 species breed in the Western Palearctic area. The text takes into account the important advances that have taken place in ornithological knowledge in recent years. Every aspect of bird life is detailed: field characters, habitat, distribution, mortality, longevity, population maps showing the breeding, food, voice, plumage, moults, measurements, weights, structure, and geographical variation