Birds Of Brisbane And Environs

A comprehensive pocket-sized guide to the birds of Brisbane. This pocket companion is just the thing for any avid Brisbane bird-watcher. From frogmouths to falcons and crows to cockatoos, this little book contains images, calls and behaviours of every bird you're likely to find in and around Brisbane.

Publisher Description

"Moreton Bay & Islands, Gold Coast & Hinterland, The Scenic Rim, Sunshine Coast & Hinterland, Fraser Island & Northern New South Wales"

It is not surprising that Australian grassfinches are highly popular with ornithologists and aviculturists, for included among the species are one of the most beautiful of all birds – the Gouldian Finch Erythrura gouldiae – and one of the most familiar cagebirds – the Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata. Despite a scarcity in published works on finches, interest in the species is growing, leading to a dramatic advancement in our knowledge of many species. For example, we have gained new information from field observations carried out on little-known species, including the Blue-faced Parrot-Finch Erythrura trichroa and the Red-eared Firetail Stagonopleura oculata. Significant advances in taxonomic research, largely as a consequence of the development and refinement of biochemical analyses, often involving DNA-DNA hybridisation, have given us a new insight into relationships among species, with some unexpected alliances being determined. Additionally, dramatic changes have taken place in avicultural practices, and in virtually all countries aviculture has taken on a new professional approach, with the most notable results being increased productivity and success with a wider variety of species. After a lapse of almost half a century since publication of Klaus Immelmann’s eminent work on finches, based on extensive field studies, the time has come for a new examination of Australian grassfinches. In Grassfinches in Australia, Joseph Forshaw, Mark Shephard and Anthony Pridham have summarised our present knowledge of each species, and have given readers a visual appreciation of the birds in their natural habitats and in aviculture. The resulting combination of superb artwork and scientifically accurate text ensures that this volume will become the standard reference work on Australian grassfinches. In addition to enabling aviculturists to know more about these finches in the wild as a guide to their own husbandry techniques, detailed information on current management practices for all species in captivity is provided. The book also includes colour plates depicting some of the more common mutations held in Australian and overseas collections.

A comprehensive site guide on Australia. Divided into chapters covering each of the 8 states, this title features information on routes, access, permits, accommodation, best time to visit, and plantlife and birds. It is illustrated with detailed maps for every locality, plus many colour photographs.

When Silvester Diggles arrived in 1855 there was little artistic or scientific talent in the small frontier town of Brisbane. By the time of his death in 1880, his paramount legacy was a large book on Australian birds, profusely illustrated with hand-coloured lithographs. Acting as his own publisher from 1865 onwards, Diggles produced the first substantial zoological work to commence publication in Australia. The compilation and content of this rare work of art and natural history is examined here in the light of Diggles’ life and times, as well as his ornithological predecessors and contemporaries. So too is his role in establishing the first scientific society and museum in Queensland. Also presented in this lavishly illustrated publication are colour plates from his bird book, and some of his original bird paintings for the first time. Diggles was indeed the preeminent birdman of his day, not only in Brisbane but also Queensland if not Australia-wide. Dr Rod Fisher Brisbane historian