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NATIONAL
FIELD GUIDES |
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Australia currently has four national field guides. The 2nd edition of Peter, Pat & Raoul Slater’s The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds (referred to as Slater) is now available in the Shop; this excellent work is small enough to carry in a jacket or trouser pocket. Also stocked is Graham Pizzey & Frank Knight’s The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia (referred to as Pizzey), also excellent and packed with much information, as well as Simpson & Day’s Field Guide to the Birds of Australia which is a good guide for general birding. Michael Morcombe’s Field Guide to Australian Birds is not stocked. . |
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The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Graham
Pizzey & Frank Knight
580 pp, 250 colour plates. 155 x 240 mm (6 x 9.5 inches) Packed with information ~ many juvenile plumages, similar species, subspecies, best detail on range. A complete revision of Graham Pizzey's original guide (1980) with a new artist, Frank Knight.
$45
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The
Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds Peter, Pat
& Raoul Slater (2nd Edition 2009)
360 pp, 200 colour plates. 214 x 115 mm (8.5 x 4.5 inches) More than 20 years have passed since the classic 1st Edition of this work appeared, and it has stood the test of time. This 2nd Edition follows the same tradition, describing the more than 750 species of birds recorded in Australia to date, using current common and scientific names, and all the essential features one would expect to see in a reliable field guide.
$33
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Field
Guide to the Birds of Australia Ken Simpson &
Nicholas Day
440 pp, 132 colour plates.
155 x 225 mm (6 x 9 inches) Distribution maps include ranges
of subspecies. 130 pp The Handbook (non
field guide data, general birdwatching,
taxonomy, evolution, behaviour etc). Best
information/maps on races.
$40 Add
to Cart |
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NATIONAL
SITE GUIDES |
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There were two guides devoted to Australian birding sites: the best was The Complete Guide to Finding the Birds of Australia (OUT OF PRINT) by Richard & Sarah Thomas. Where to Find Birds by John Bransby is quite outdated, being first published in 1987 and reprinted in 2000 without alteration. Unfortunately Where to Watch Birds in Australasia & Oceania by Nigel Wheatley contains many errors in the Australian sections and is not recommended (reviews on Birding-aus chatline archives). Not stocked. |
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REGIONAL
FIELD & SITE GUIDES |
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Only a small number of
guide/finder books have been written for regional areas,
e.g. Sydney (NSW), The Wet Tropics (Qld), The Top End (NT),
but otherwise many areas are not covered.
My book Birding Australia Site Guide The South East describes many prime birding sites in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.
Queensland (Qld) The
Wet Tropics (north-east) is well covered by Birds of
Queensland's Wet Tropics & Great Barrier Reef
(Nielsen - field & site guide OUT OF PRINT) and
Where to Find Birds in North East Queensland (Wieneke
- site guide only). Nothing else for the remainder of
Qld.
New South Wales (NSW) My book Birding Australia Site Guide The South East includes a species list for each site, facilities, visitor information, access,
maps, plus seabird and wader hotspots. Peter Roberts’ Sydney
Birds and Where to Find Them (2009) is a comprehensive site guide detailing the best birding
sites and their species in the greater Sydney region. Birdwatching in Royal & Heathcote National Parks (Steve Anyon-Smith)
is available from visitor centres in these parks close to Sydney. Little else for the remainder of NSW.
Australian Capital
Territory (ACT) My book Birding Australia Site
Guide The South East includes a species list for each site, facilities,
visitor information, access, maps, plus seabird and wader hotspots. Field Guide to the Birds of the ACT is
mostly a field guide but also contains directions to a few good birding sites.
Victoria (Vic) My book Birding Australia Site Guide The South East includes a species list for each site, facilities, visitor information, access,
maps, plus seabird and wader hotspots. Compiled and written by Birds Australia
(Vic), Where to See Birds in Victoria (2009) is a comprehensive site guide detailing the best birding sites and their
species throughout the state of Victoria.
Tasmania (Tas) My book Birding Australia Site Guide The South East includes a species list for each site, facilities, visitor information, access,
maps, plus seabird and wader hotspots. Field
Guide to Tasmanian Birds (Dave Watts) is a photographic guide covering the
most notable birds, with notes on where to see each species.
South Australia (SA) My book Birding Australia Site Guide The South East includes a species list for each site, facilities, visitor information, access,
maps, plus seabird and wader hotspots.
Western Australia
(WA) Birds of the Greater South West (Simon Nevill) is a very useful field and site guide; also explains habitat types and the birds found in them. Birding Sites Around Perth (Van Delft)
covers much of the Perth area. Field Guide to the Birds
of Western Australia (Storr & Johnstone) does not
list sites. Most of its information is covered by the
national guides. Frank O'Connor's website includes
information about sites - see Birding
Links
page.
Northern Territory (NT) The best covered of all states and territories, with three guides: Birds of The Top End (Goodfellow) field and site guide includes Kakadu NP; Finding Birds in Australia’s Northern Territory (Donato et al) (OUT OF PRINT) site guide covering both The Top End and southern areas about Alice Springs (the only guide with a comprehensive coverage of central Australia); Finding Birds in Darwin, Kakadu and The Top End Northern Territory Australia (McCrie & Watson) site guide 2nd edition revised 2009 is now available..
Christmas Island Christmas & Cocos Keeling Islands Birding Guide is an essential
companion when visiting these islands in the Indian Ocean, some 2650 km
north-west of Perth (WA). |
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Birding Australia Site
Guide The South East Lloyd Nielsen (2007)
160 pp. B&W. 145 x 210 mm (5.75 x 8.25 inches) My book describes 220 of the top birding sites in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. Bird list for each site, facilities, access. Seabird and wader hotspots. Maps, indexed. Spiral bound. User friendly.
$35 Add
to Cart |
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OUT
OF PRINT
Birds of
Queensland's Wet Tropics and Great Barrier Reef
Lloyd Nielsen
"It is not often that we
ornithologists are presented with a guide with a completely
new approach, but Lloyd Nielsen has achieved this and done
it well. Lloyd has done the world of ornithology a great
service and this may well set the standard for other
district guides." WINGSPAN (Birds Australia magazine) Vol. 8
No. 4.
331 pp. 155 x 225 mm (6 x 9
inches) Field guide plus where to find the birds. Key
guide identification system. Section on how to
separate similar species. Two World Heritage areas. All
birds from Townsville to Cooktown and Great Barrier Reef
illustrated in colour. Details 86 of the most popular
birding sites in north-east Qld. Maps, distribution maps,
places to stay. |
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Checklist
- Birds of Queensland's Wet Tropics
Lloyd Nielsen
16pp,
105 x 178 mm. (4 x 7 inches) Provision for 10
localities/excursions, index. Fits into a shirt
pocket.
$5 Add
to Cart |
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Birds
of Lamington National Park and Environs Lloyd
Nielsen
144
pp, 145 x 210 mm (5.75 x 8.25 inches) B&W. Field
and site guide. Subtropical World Heritage site in
south-eastern Qld. Status, habits, rare and vagrant species,
key format, maps, where to find
the
birds.
$12 Add
to Cart |
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Christmas and Cocos Keeling Islands Birding Guide Several contributors.
30 pp, 145 x 210 mm (5.75 x 8.25 inches) Introduction; where to find the birds; description of birds, key species including voice, status, distribution and breeding; maps; checklist. In colour.
Christmas
Island lies in the Indian Ocean off the coast of WA.
$17.50 Add
to Cart |
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Where
to Find Birds in North-east Queensland Jo
Wieneke
132
pp, B&W, 145 x 210 mm (5.75 x 8.25 inches) Covers
the area from Cairns and the Daintree River, and south to
Bowen.
Over 90 localities
described. Notes on status, range, habits.
$25 Add
to Cart |
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Sydney Birds
and Where to Find Them Peter Roberts (2009)
208
pp, colour, regional maps, 145 x 210 mm (5.75 x 8.25 inches)
Comprehensive
regional site guide describing the best birding sites in the greater Sydney
area, from Wollongong in the south, north to Tuggerah on the Central Coast and
west to the Blue Mountains. Key species and the best places
to see them, access and amenities.
$35 Add
to Cart
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Where to See
Birds in Victoria Birds Australia (Vic) Tim Dolby (principal
editor) (2009)
192
pp. colour, district maps, 145 x 210 mm (5.75 x 8.25 inches)
No
fewer than 40 prime Victorian birding destinations and their key species are
described in this comprehensive regional site guide which also includes accommodation and facilities.
$35 Add
to Cart |
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Field
Guide to the Birds of the ACT McComus Taylor,
Nicholas Day
90 pp, 32 colour plates, 108
x 210 mm (4.25 x 8.25 inches) All birds in the Australian
Capital Territory (about Canberra). Identification, habits,
voice, breeding, similar species. Details 7 of the best
birding localities plus 23 worth a try.
$16 Add
to Cart |
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Field Guide to
Tasmanian Birds Dave Watts
192 pp, 150 x 210 mm (6 x
8.25 inches) Photographic Field
Guide.
Excellent photographs.
Describes 179 of 210 species of this island state.
Identification, habits, voice, habitat, breeding,
distribution, where to find the
birds.
$33 Add
to Cart |
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Birding Sites around
Perth Ron Van Delft
155 pp, 150 x 210 mm (6 x
8.25 inches) Photographic Site Guide. Illustrated throughout
with photographs. Professional, coloured maps.
Describes 46 birding sites within a 60 km radius of Perth.
Notes on 200 species including the south-western endemics.
Feature species, bird lists, suggested bird
tours.
$17 Add
to Cart |
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OUT OF
PRINT
The Birds
of Broome Peter Collins
84 pp, 150 x 210 mm (6 x
8.25 inches) Annotated list published by Broome Bird
Observatory. Map, 6 colour photographs of birds. |
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OUT OF
PRINT
Finding
Birds in Australia's Northern Territory Donato,
Wilkins, Smith, Langford
192 pp, 145 x 230 mm (5.75 x
9 inches) B&W, line drawn maps. Many best birding sites,
eg Kakadu, about Darwin, Alice Springs, Uluru (Ayers
Rock). Notes to assist location of 384 terrestrial resident
and migrant birds and 69 of the Territory's rare, endemic
and special birds. Status, habits, where to find the birds.
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Birds
of Australia's Top End Denise Goodfellow
160 pp. 28 colour plates,
170 x 240 mm (6.75 x 9.5 inches) Field guide covering birds
of the northern third (Top End) of the NT. Notes
on similar species, call, flight, range, habitat, where
to find each species, birdwatching hints and much
more. Interesting and distinctive style. Distribution
maps.
$30 Add
to Cart |
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Finding
Birds in Darwin, Kakadu and the Top End, Northern Territory
Australia Niven McCrie & James Watson (2nd edition revised 2009)
160 pp, 150 x 210 mm (6 x
8.25 inches) B&W. Line-drawn maps. All the
well-known birding sites of the top half of the Northern
Territory (Top End) plus sites not mentioned in other
guides. Includes annotated list.
$35
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TAXONOMY |
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Systematics and Taxonomy
of Australian Birds Les Christidis & Walter E Boles
(2008)
272 pp, 255 x 175 mm (10 x 7
inches) This long awaited checklist is an expanded update of
the official checklist of birds of Australia and its
territories by the same authors. Up-to-date classification
of Australian birds lists all species recorded from the
Australian mainland, Tasmania, island territories and
surrounding waters. All vagrant species accepted by Birds
Australia Records Appraisal Committee are included plus
established introduced species. Brief explanations for the
many recent taxonomic changes and for those incorporated
into the book. Absolutely essential for birders who take
their birding seriously.
$58 Add
to Cart
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SHOREBIRDS |
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Shorebirds of
Australia Andrew Geering, Lindsay Agnew, Sandra Harding
(2007)
242 pp. 170 x 250 mm (6.63 x
9.75 inches) The latest information about the evolution,
ecology and behaviour of all species of shorebirds (waders)
in Australia. Colour photographs, distribution maps,
habitat.
$49 Add
to Cart
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BIRDS
OF PREY |
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OUT
OF PRINT
The Birds of Prey of Australia
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A
Field Guide
- Stephen Debus
152
pp, colour plates including 27 from Handbook of
Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (HANZAB).135
x 215 mm (5.25 x 8.5 inches) Many B&W illustrations.
B&W drawings of underwing pattern, silhouettes of
various flight postures and patterns. Describes each of
Australia's 24 species of birds of prey with detailed
notes on adult, immature, juvenile, chick,
similar species, identification, food, hunting,
behaviour, breeding, threats, conservation. Debus is the
acknowledged authority on the subject.
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DAINTREE |
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Daintree
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Jewel of Tropical North Queensland
Written, edited, illustrated and
published by Lloyd Nielsen
72
pp. 160 x 230 mm (6.25 x 9 inches) Order this book direct from the author. I will
personally sign your copy if you wish. My book focuses on the famous World-heritage
Daintree rainforest in far north Queensland which has survived virtually intact
for about 120 million years. Topics include its primitive flowering plants
found nowhere else on Earth; the rainforest and its animals; the first human
occupants the Kuku Yalanji aborigines; the early
explorers. Matchbox Bean, Mountain Mist Frog, Metallic Starling, mangroves,
crocodiles ~ all these and more are described in an informative, yet
easy-to-read style. Essential reading for every visitor to
the Daintree, armchair travellers, and anyone with an interest in Australia’s
natural heritage.
$19.50
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