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Birds of Prey of Australia: A Field Guide
Raptors are popular and iconic birds, and are important ecologically, with some species listed as threatened. Yet they are among the most difficult birds to identify. This fully updated third edition of the popular and award-winning field guide Birds of Prey of Australia contains two sections: a field guide with distribution maps, detailed illustrations and information on identification; and a handbook which includes an overview of the current knowledge about raptors, including their biology, ecology and behavior. An illustrated section on difficult-to-distinguish species pairs is also included, along with new photographs.
Birds of Prey of Australia will appeal to a wide range of readers, including ornithologists, raptor biologists, birdwatchers, wildlife rescuers/carers, raptor rehabilitators, zookeepers, naturalists, bushwalkers, ecological consultants, fauna authorities, park rangers, state forestry personnel and students.
Features:
Updated edition of this popular and award-winning field guide
"Bible" of raptor identification, providing current knowledge on the ecology and biology of these species
New and improved photos
Companion to the recently released Australian Birds of Prey in Flight, which aids identification of soaring raptors
Birds of Prey of Australia will appeal to a wide range of readers, including ornithologists, raptor biologists, birdwatchers, wildlife rescuers/carers, raptor rehabilitators, zookeepers, naturalists, bushwalkers, ecological consultants, fauna authorities, park rangers, state forestry personnel and students.
Features:
Updated edition of this popular and award-winning field guide
"Bible" of raptor identification, providing current knowledge on the ecology and biology of these species
New and improved photos
Companion to the recently released Australian Birds of Prey in Flight, which aids identification of soaring raptors
224 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 1998
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 2, 2012
Stephen Debus has put together a very fine field guide to Australian Raptors. More than just your regular field identification book, Birds of Prey Australia includes Parts that will prove indispensable for those looking to get positive ids on birds of prey, especially when it comes to the geographical scope of specific morphology variants and conservation field id of of concern species.
There is a Part dedicated to species description for each bird, which includes, multiple adult, juvenile, sex and morph variations in colour plate as well as abundant written detail, some species distribution maps, and an invaluable guide to flight pattern.
There is then a section of species photos. The best field guides include both (though they are a rarity) so I was pleased to see this one had them both - colour drawings and photos.
The brilliant touch to this book is the inclusion of colour drawings giving cross sections. Half one bird next to half a different bird. Eg the left side the Eastern Osprey, the right side of the White-Bellied Sea Eagle.
This is to help in identification problems associated with similar species and is another invaluable tool for confirming of concern 'evr' species, over not of concern species.
In all pairings the wings are extended to show differences in wing shape and plumage and in most pairings it is the undershot, as that is what most of us are ever likely to see, although in saying that, there are a few overshots included.
It would have been the icing on the cake to see distribution maps for every bird in the Species Description chapter, instead of only a few. I found this to be quite a failing for a book of this calibre. It is as if the author assumes all users are versed in species distribution and in truth, that is never going to be the case.
There is a Part dedicated to species description for each bird, which includes, multiple adult, juvenile, sex and morph variations in colour plate as well as abundant written detail, some species distribution maps, and an invaluable guide to flight pattern.
There is then a section of species photos. The best field guides include both (though they are a rarity) so I was pleased to see this one had them both - colour drawings and photos.
The brilliant touch to this book is the inclusion of colour drawings giving cross sections. Half one bird next to half a different bird. Eg the left side the Eastern Osprey, the right side of the White-Bellied Sea Eagle.
This is to help in identification problems associated with similar species and is another invaluable tool for confirming of concern 'evr' species, over not of concern species.
In all pairings the wings are extended to show differences in wing shape and plumage and in most pairings it is the undershot, as that is what most of us are ever likely to see, although in saying that, there are a few overshots included.
It would have been the icing on the cake to see distribution maps for every bird in the Species Description chapter, instead of only a few. I found this to be quite a failing for a book of this calibre. It is as if the author assumes all users are versed in species distribution and in truth, that is never going to be the case.
Displaying 1 of 1 review