Pittas, broadbills and asities include some of the most beautiful, elusive and sought-after birds in the world.

Inhabitants of tropical and subtropical forests of the Old World, pittas are medium-sized insectivorous terrestrial birds. Most are brilliantly coloured, and rather thrush like in their behaviour. They are generally solitary, and and have a well-deserved reputation for secretive, skulking habits, adding to the challenge of seeing them in their often dark environment. Pittas are largely confined to Southern Asia and Australasia, with a few species on outlying islands and two in Africa.

Broadbills are chunky, docile birds with large heads, broad flattened beaks and short legs. They are also generally colourful, but they are not terrestrial and are mostly sociable. They form a diverse group of 15 species in eight genera, of which four species are confined to Africa.

The asides of Madagascar are now considered to form a clade within the broadbills. Of the four species, two are similar to broadbills, but the other two are more similar to sunbirds. All breeding males have facial wattles.

The first monograph of these birds was published in 1996. This book, by the same author, is its follow-up. The product of more than a decade of further research and study, this comprehensive guide to the groups draws together a wealth of material from both the literature and from unpublished sources to provide the ultimate reference to pittas and broadbills, from identification and taxonomy to habitat requirements, biology and ecology.