NEW BIRD BOOKS
Australia | Birding | and more


Hello from Andrew Isles Natural History Books.

The following bird books are now in stock. Some highlights include:

***An Uncertain Future - Drawing on numerous interviews and scientific reports from around the world, Maslen reveals a dire picture of what plummeting bird populations means for humanity.
***Birds of Kruger National Park - More than 400 stunning color photographs illustrate the 250 most commonly encountered species of this region.
***Good Birders Still Don't Wear White - The follow-up to the bestselling Good Birders Don't Wear White, American birders share their tips and tricks to spotting birds in the wild.

Clicking on the links will take you directly to the stock record on our website where you will find more information and our secure shopping cart. If you want to email your order to us you can simply reply to this email and quote the stock ID of the book/s.

If you have any questions regarding these or other titles, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards
Andrew Isles


Image for this item
[Stock ID:39912]  An uncertain future: Australian birdlife in danger.
Maslen, Geoffrey.
Richmond: Hardie Grant Books, 2017.
Octavo, paperback, 294 pp., colour photographs.
AU$38.00

Maslen takes us into the fascinating lives of Australian birds, showing us how intelligent they are, the significant threats they face due to disappearing habitats and climate change and how essential they are to our own survival. Soaring through the skies, birds bring song and beauty to our lives, and play a significant role in sustaining Earth's ecosystems. But birds are also facing the threat of extinction. Drawing on numerous interviews with researchers and biologists studying birdlife in Australia and dozens of scientific reports from around the world, Maslen reveals a dire picture of what plummeting bird populations means for humanity.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:38565]  Birds of Kruger National Park.
Barnes, Keith and Ken Behrens.
Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2017.
Octavo, paperback, 224 pp., colour photographs.
AU$55.00

South Africa's Kruger National Park is one of the largest and most iconic conservation areas in Africa. A range of diverse habitats gives Kruger a phenomenal diversity of some 520 bird species, half of which are resident. From Africa's most extraordinary eagles, like the scarlet-faced Bateleur, to electric-colored glossy-starlings and jewel-like finches, Kruger offers an avian celebration of form and colour. It is also a crucial conservation area, supporting South Africa's largest viable populations of vultures, eagles, and large terrestrial birds. This field guide offers a unique window into the world of Kruger's birds. More than 400 stunning color photographs illustrate the 250 most frequently encountered species, and a habitat-based approach assists in identification. The authoritative text provides key information about identification, habitat, behavior, biology, and conservation. The guide contains information likely to be new to even the most experienced birders, but is written in a nontechnical style that makes it accessible to anyone.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:39489]  Birds of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao: a site and field guide.
Wells, Jeffrey V. et al.
Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2017.
Octavo, paperback, 474 pp., colour photographs, colour and black and white illustrations, maps.
AU$85.00

This is the essential guide for anyone traveling to those islands. It showcases the more than 280 species seen on Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao and provides descriptions of and directions to the best places to bird, from the famous white sand beaches to hidden watering holes to the majestic national parks. Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao-the "ABCs"-located in the southwestern Caribbean, not far from Venezuela, share fascinating ecological features with the West Indies as well as the South American mainland, making birding on the islands unique. The identification portion of the book features endemic subspecies such as the Brown-throated Parakeet; a wide variety of wintering North American migrants; spectacular restricted-range northern South American species such as the Yellow-shouldered Parrot, Bare-eyed Pigeon, Troupial, Ruby-topaz Hummingbird, and Yellow Oriole; and West Indian species including the Pearly-eyed Thrasher and Caribbean Elaenia, Colorful introductory sections provide readers with a brief natural history of the islands, detailing the geography, geology, and general ecology of each. In the site guide that follows, Jeffrey V. Wells and Allison Childs Wells share their more than two decades of experience in the region, providing directions to the best birding spots. Clear, easy-to-read maps accompany each site description, along with notes about the species that birders are likely to find. The identification section is arranged in classic field guide format and offers vivid descriptions of each bird, along with tips on how to identify them by sight and sound. The accounts also include current status and seasonality, if relevant, and common names in English, Dutch, and Papiamento, often inspired by the unique voices of the birds, such as the "chibichibi" (Bananaquit) and "choco" (Burrowing Owl). The accompanying color plates feature the beautiful work of illustrator Robert Dean. The final section, on conservation, raises awareness about threats facing the birds and the habitats on which they rely and summarizes conservation initiatives and needs, offering recommendations for each island.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:39635]  Little penguins: exploring the life of the world's smallest penguin.
Stepnell, Ken.
Sydney: New Holland Publishers, 2017.
Octavo, paperback, 112 pp., colour photographs.
AU$25.00


This beautifully illustrated book explores every aspect of the lives of these remarkable seabirds, from feeding and breeding to migrations and threats. The entertaining and informative text is accompanied by many beautiful photographs.


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Image for this item [Stock ID:39622]  The most perfect thing: inside (and outside) a bird's egg.
Birkhead, Tim.
London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017.
Octavo, paperback, 288 pp., colour photographs, text illustrations.
AU$22.00

NOW IN PAPERBACK - How are eggs of different shapes made, and why are they the shape they are? When does the shell of an egg harden? Why do some eggs contain two yolks? How are the colours and patterns of an eggshell created, and why do they vary? And which end of an egg is laid first - the blunt end or the pointy end? These are just some of the questions A Bird's Egg answers, as the journey of a bird's egg from creation and fertilisation to its eventual hatching is examined, with current scientific knowledge placed within an historical context. Beginning with an examination of the stunning eggs of the guillemot, each of which is so variable in pattern and colour that no two are ever the same, acclaimed ornithologist Tim Birkhead then looks at the eggs of hens, cuckoos and many other birds, revealing weird and wonderful facts about these miracles of nature. Woven around and supporting these facts are extraordinary stories of the individuals who from as far back as Ancient Egypt have been fixated on the study and collection of eggs, not always to the benefit of their conservation. Firmly grounded in science and enriched by a wealth of observation drawn from a lifetime spent studying birds, this is an illuminating and engaging exploration of the science behind eggs and the history of man's obsession with them. Also available in hardcover [stock id 38776].

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Image for this item [Stock ID:39590]  Good birders still don't wear white.
White, Lisa A. and Jeffrey A. Gordon, editors.
New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2017.
Small octavo, paperback, 269 pp., black and white illustrations.
AU$25.00

Avid North American birders share wit, wisdom, advice, and what fuels their passion for birds. Birding gets you outside, helps you de-stress, exercises your body and mind, puts your day-to-day problems in perspective, and can be lots of fun. Birders know this, and in this collection of thirty-seven brief essays, birders from diverse backgrounds share their sense of wonder, joy, and purpose about their passion (and sometimes obsession).
From the Pacific Ocean to Central Park, from the rainforest in Panama to suburban backyards-no matter what their habitat, what good birders have in common is a curiosity about the natural world and a desire to share it with others. In these delightful essays, each accompanied by an endearing drawing, devoted birders reveal their passion to be fulfilling, joyful, exhilarating, and maybe even contagious. Contributors include many well-known birders, such as Richard Crossley, Pete Dunne, Kenn Kaufman, Michael O'Brien, Bill Thompson, and Julie Zickefoose. A portion of the proceeds goes to the American Birding Association, North America's largest membership organization for active birders. See also Good birders don't wear white [stock id 31537]

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Image for this item [Stock ID:39728]  One more warbler: a life with birds.
Emanuel, Victor and S. Kirk Walsh.
Austin: University of Texas Press, 2017.
Octavo, dustwrapper, 273 pp. colour and black and white photographs.
AU$54.00

Widely considered one of America's leading birders, Victor Emanuel has observed more than six thousand species during travels that have taken him to every continent. He founded the largest company in the world specializing in birding tours and one of the most respected ones in ecotourism. Emanuel has received some of birding's highest honors, including the Roger Tory Peterson Award from the American Birding Association and the Arthur A. Allen Award from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. He also started the first birding camps for young people, which he considers one of his greatest achievements. In this biography, Emanuel recalls a lifetime of birding adventures-from his childhood sighting of a male Cardinal that ignited his passion for birds to a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Asia to observe all eight species of cranes of that continent. He tells fascinating stories of meeting his mentors who taught him about birds, nature, and conservation, and later, his close circle of friends-Ted Parker, Peter Matthiessen, George Plimpton, Roger Tory Peterson, and others-who he frequently birded and traveled with around the world. Emanuel writes about the sighting of an Eskimo Curlew, thought to be extinct, on Galveston Island; setting an all-time national record during the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count; attempting to see the Imperial Woodpecker in northwestern Mexico; and birding on the far-flung island of Attu on the Aleutian chain. Over the years, Emanuel became a dedicated mentor himself, teaching hundreds of young people the joys and enrichment of birding. "Birds changed my life," says Emanuel, and his stories make clear how a deep connection to the natural world can change everyone's life.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:39841]  The wonder of birds: what birds tell us about ourselves, the world, and a better future.
Robbins, Jim.
New York: Random House, 2017.
Octavo, dustwrapper, 331 pp., black and white illustrations.
AU$50.00

A fascinating investigation into the miraculous world of birds and the plethora of ways they enrich our lives and sustain the planet. Our relationship to birds is different from our relationship to any other wild creatures. They are found virtually everywhere and we love to watch them, listen to them, keep them as pets, wear their feathers, even converse with them. Birds, Jim Robbins posits, are our most vital connection to nature. They compel us to look to the skies, both literally and metaphorically; draw us out into nature to seek their beauty; and let us experience vicariously what it is like to be weightless. Birds have helped us in so many of our human endeavors: learning to fly, providing clothing and food, and helping us better understand the human brain and body. And they even have much to teach us about being human in the natural world. This book illuminates qualities unique to birds that demonstrate just how invaluable they are to humankind. Exploring both cutting-edge scientific research and our oldest cultural beliefs, Robbins moves these astonishing creatures from the background of our lives to the foreground, from the quotidian to the miraculous, showing us that we must fight to save imperiled bird populations and the places they live, for the sake of both the planet and humankind.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:39620]  Wake-robin: a collection of essays about the birds.
Burroughs, John.
New York: Dover Publications, 2017.
Octavo, paperback, 304 pp.
AU$25.00


At the turn of the 20th century, John Burroughs ranked among America's most popular authors. The distinguished naturalist possessed a special gift for sharing his close observations in an engaging style that combines scientific accuracy with a grand poetic expression. This 1871 collection of essays, his first on nature, focuses on one of his favourite topics, birds, particularly those of the Adirondack and Washington, D.C. regions.


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Image for this item [Stock ID:39561]  Something about Emus: indigenous knowledge of Emus from Western Arnhem Land.
Garde, Murray.
Australia Aboriginal Studies Press, 2016.
Octavo, paperback, 176 pp., colour photographs.
AU$40.00

The emu is an iconic Australian bird of significance to all Australians, but especially so to Indigenous Australians who have had a special relationship with this curious animal for thousands of years. In this bilingual, highly illustrated, full-colour publication Something about emus reveals valuable ecological knowledge in a collection of essays by senior members of the Bininj Gunwok language group from Kakadu National Park and Western Arnhem Land. Something About Emus goes beyond biology and ecology to encompass other culturally important domains such as the visual and verbal arts, music, ritual and the relationships between humans and animals. Whilst Indigenous ecological knowledge is increasingly acknowledged as a valuable part of Australia's cultural heritage, such knowledge is most richly expressed in Australia's Indigenous languages which have largely remained inaccessible to those outside their communities.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:39819]  Birdsong: a celebration of Bruny Island birds.
Morgan, Anne et al, editors.
Bruny Island: Bruny Island Environment Network Inc., (2016 second edition),
Octavo, laminated boards, 137 pp., colour photographs, illustrations.
AU$40.00


Birdsong's contributors celebrate the beauty and vulnerability of the birds of Bruny Island, through poetry, essays, photographs and other artworks. This anthology is Bruny Island Environment Network's serenade to birds. Profits from sales of this book will go towards conserving Bruny Island's birdlife, particularly the most vulnerable species.


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A SELECTION OF RELATED TITLES
Image for this item [Stock ID:34506]  Fighting for birds: 25 years in nature conservation.
Avery, Mark.
Exeter: Pelagic Publishing, 2012.
Octavo, paperback, 324 pp.
AU$30.00

Devoted to birds and wildlife since childhood, Mark's early scientific research at Oxford, Aberdeen and the RSPB provided a solid background for his management, ambassadorial, and political lobbying activities which were to follow. In this book, Mark mixes a great many stories from his professional life at the RSPB with personal anecdotes and passionate arguments on past and present issues in bird and nature conservation. He shows us something of the many scientists whose work paves the way for conservation action, places domestic conservation into an international context, takes us behind the scenes to glimpse the politicians who have worked with him, or against him, along the way. Mark leaves us armed with practical tips and a guiding philosophy to take wildlife conservation though the troubled years that lie ahead. A personal, philosophical and political history of 25 years of bird conservation, this book provides an instructive and amusing read for all those who would like a glimpse into the birds and wildlife conservation world – what the issues are, what must be done, how it can be done, and the challenges, highs and lows involved.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:37147]  Where song began: Australia's birds and how they changed the world.
Low, Tim.
Melbourne: Penguin Books, 2014.
Octavo, paperback, 406 pp., colour and black and white photographs.
AU$33.00

Renowned for its unusual mammals, Australia is a land of birds that are just as unusual, a result of the continent's tens of millions of years of isolation. Compared with birds elsewhere, ours are more likely to be intelligent, aggressive and loud, to live in complex societies, and to be large and long-lived. They're also ecologically more powerful, exerting more influences on forests than other birds. But unlike the mammals, the birds did not keep to Australia; they spread around the globe. Australia provided the world with its songbirds and parrots, the most intelligent of all bird groups. Low has a rare gift for illuminating complex ideas in highly readable prose, here he brilliantly explains how our birds came to be so extraordinary, including the large role played by the foods they consume (birds, too, are what they eat), and by our climate, soil, fire, and Australia's legacy as a part of Gondwana. The story of its birds, it turns out, is inseparable from the story of Australia itself, and one that continues to unfold, so much having changed in the last decade about what we know of our ancient past. Where Song Began also shines a light on New Guinea as a biological region of Australia, as much a part of the continent as Tasmania. This is a work that goes far beyond the birds themselves to explore the relationships between Australia's birds and its people, and the ways in which scientific prejudice have hindered our understanding.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:38762]  Beaks, bones, and bird songs: how the struggle for survival has shaped birds and their behavior.
Lederer, Roger J.
Portland: Timber Press, 2016.
Octavo, dustwrapper, 280 pp., black and white photographs, line drawings, maps.
AU$40.00

When we see a bird flying from branch to branch happily chirping, it is easy to imagine they lead a simple life of freedom, flight, and feathers. What we don t see is the arduous, life-threatening challenges they face at every moment. This book guides the reader through the myriad, and often almost miraculous, things that birds do every day to merely stay alive. Like the goldfinch, which manages extreme weather changes by doubling the density of its plumage in winter. Or urban birds, which navigate traffic through a keen understanding of posted speed limits. In engaging and accessible prose, Roger Lederer shares how and why birds use their sensory abilities to see ultraviolet, find food without seeing it, fly thousands of miles without stopping, change their songs in noisy cities, navigate by smell, and much more.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:36726]  The book of eggs: a life-size guide to the eggs of six hundred of the world's bird species.
Hauber, Mark E.
Lewes: Ivy Press, 2014.
Large octavo, dustwrapper, 656 pp., colour photographs, illustrations, maps.
AU$60.00

Featuring new photography from Chicago's renowned Field Museum, this book explores 600 examples at actual size, alongside pattern details, clutch images, breeding range maps, and engravings of all the birds. A table of field-guide information identifies order, family, breeding range, nesting habitat, nest characteristics, and conservation status. This accompanies an expert narrative revealing the latest research and thinking on social structure; reproductive strategies; egg colour, maculation, and size; and incubation behaviour. Arranged taxonomically, according to evolutionary relationships, the book brings to light intriguing aspects of breeding biology. The result is a visual delight and an essential reference for every bird enthusiast, natural historian, and conservationist. Also available in the series: Frogs [38323], Beetles [37307] and Fungi [36377].

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Image for this item [Stock ID:31537]  Good birders don't wear white: 50 tips from North America's top birders.
White, Lisa, editor.
New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2007.
Small octavo, paperback, 268 pp., illustrations.
AU$15.00


In these 50 light and fun original essays, the biggest names in birding dispense advice to birders of every level, on topics ranging from feeding birds and cleaning binoculars to pishing and pelagic birding. Whether satirizing bird snobs or relating the traditions and taboos of the birding culture, each essay is as chock-full of helpful information as it is entertaining. See also Good birders still don't wear white [stock id 39590]


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Image for this item [Stock ID:23921]  The big twitch: one man, one continent, a race against time - a true story about birdwatching.
Dooley, Sean.
Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin, 2005.
Octavo, paperback, 322 pp.
AU$27.00

This is the story of a quest to see 700 Australian birds in a year. Sean Dooley has had quite a few successes under his belt and seems reasonably well adjusted, but for some reason he's carried his childhood hobby of birdwatching into his adult life. The cross he bears, socially, is that he's a twitcher (an extreme form of birdwatching where birders charge around the country trying to add as many species of bird to their list as possible). After both his parents died, he blew his inheritance on taking a year off to try and see 700 birds in a year. He was determined to break the Australian twitching record. Part confessional and part travelogue, this is a true story about obsession. The characters who populate the tale are weirdos, the action comes from the pursuit of a dream and the attempt to break a national record. It's about trying to work out what normal is and to find the meaning of life. It's refreshingly original, it's poignant and very amusing. "I have just finishing reading it and this book is a gem! I laughed, cried and wept tears. It is brilliant." Jim Downey, former CEO Birds Australia.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:34297]  Birdwatching with your eyes closed: an introduction to birdsong.
Barnes, Simon.
London: Short Books, 2011.
Octavo, paperback, 270 pp.
AU$23.00

Learning birdsong is not just a way to become a better bird-spotter. It is tuning in: a way of hearing the soundtrack of the planet earth...Why do birds sing? What are they trying to say? Birdsong is not just about natural history. It is also about our history. We got melody from the birds as we got rhythm from the womb. This vital book - with a free podcast - takes you from winter into deepest spring, teaching you to how recognise song after song as the chorus swells. You start with robin, and end up listening to nightingales. Along the way, you will learn something of the science of birdsong - the difference between song and call, the physiology of songbirds, what birdsong tells us about evolution, and indeed the very beginnings of life itself. The aim is to give you a flying start in birdsong so that, after reading this book, you'll be listening to order, not chaos, to Bach, not white noise. You will be more aware of the wild world, and better able to understand it. Also available in hardcover [stock id 33683].

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Image for this item [Stock ID:33149]  Was Beethoven a birdwatcher? A quirky look at birds in history and culture.
Turner, David.
West Sussex: Summersdale Publishers, 2011.
Octavo, dustwrapper, 288 pp., black and white illustrations.
AU$30.00

Did the Cetti's warbler inspire the opening notes of the last movement of Beethoven's Second Symphony? Who among a host of rivals wrote the best poem about the nightingale? Is a James Bond film named after a duck? Find out the answers to these ornithological conundrums and others in this engaging book that delves into literature, science, religion, fine art and popular culture to reveal how a bird can be far more than the sum of its feathered, winged and webbed parts. Worshiped as gods and damned as agents of the Devil in equal measure, birds have also fostered scientific breakthroughs and even helped provoke a war. This humorous and insightful guide is full of brilliant curios that even a bowerbird would envy.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:26439]  Anoraks to Zitting Cisticola: a whole lot of stuff about birdwatching.
Dooley, Sean.
Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin, 2007.
Octavo, paperback, 192 pp.
AU$25.00

A limited number of SIGNED copies are available. Following the success of The big twitch, Sean Dooley presents a guide to the secret world of birdwatching from how to look cool in binoculars to how not to get stuck with a bird bore. He covers varied topics such as how to start your own bird list, what not to wear, whether birds have penises and lots more. Using an alphabetic template, it's an insight into the language, behaviour, haunts and habits of both birders and birds. Ranging far and wide, Sean covers birdwatching from the perspective of environmental issues, politics, literature, sociology and ornithology, all with a deft touch that both informs and entertains. So whether it's A for Anoraks, P for Parabolic Grot, S for Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet contains the first argument over bird identification ever recorded) or G for Gonads, this A-Z is a must for the amateur, the wannabe or fanatical birdwatcher. And it's guaranteed to keep even the most casual bird nerd amused.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:38224]  The search for the rarest bird in the world.
Head, Vernon R. L.
Oxford: Signal Books, 2015.
Octavo, dustwrapper, 244 pp.
AU$40.00

In 1990 an expedition of Cambridge scientists arrived at the Plains of Nechisar, tucked between the hills of the Great Rift Valley in the Gamo Gofa province in the country of Ethiopia. On that expedition, 315 species of birds were seen and the wing of a road-killed bird was packed into a brown paper bag. It was to become the most famous wing in the world. At British Natural History Museum in Tring, the wing set the world of science aflutter. It seemed that the wing was unique, but they questioned, can you name a species for the first time based only on the description of a wing, based on just one wing? After much to and fro, confirmation was unanimous, and the new species was announced, Nechisar nightjar, Caprimulgus solala, (solus: only and ala: wing). And birdwatchers like Vernon began to dream. Twenty-two years later an expedition of four led by Ian Sinclair set off to try to find this rarest bird in the world. Vernon R.L. Head captivates and enchants as he tells of the adventures of Ian, Dennis, Gerry and himself as they navigate the wilderness of the plains, searching by spotlight for the elusive Nechisar nightjar. But this book is more than a boy's own adventure in search of the rarest bird in the world. It is a meditation on nature, on ways of seeing, on the naming of things and why we feel so compelled to label. It is a story of friendships and camaraderie. But most of all it embraces and enfolds one into the curious and eye-opening world of the birdwatcher. For birdwatchers, twitchers, bird lovers, and about-to-become birdwatchers everywhere.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:37873]  Tales from concrete jungles: urban birding around the world.
Lindo, David.
London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015.
Octavo, dustwrapper, 240 pp., line drawings.
AU$33.00

When you think about going birdwatching, you don't think of towns and cities. However, the urban environment is surprisingly rich in birds: parks, gardens, scrubland, lakes and reservoirs all harbour many species of birds. David Lindo has brought urban birding into the public consciousness, urging people to look up when walking around in cities, or to stop and close your eyes in a busy street just to listen to the birds that may be singing. Since 2006, a long-running series of articles has appeared in Birdwatching magazine, showcasing David visiting a wide variety of cities in Britain and Europe and the birds he has encountered on these short city breaks. These articles are collected here for the first time; most of them are expanded with new material, but a few never before published are also featured. They cover visits to many cities throughout the world and these cities are surprisingly different, with striking variations even between cities in Britain. Along the way, David meets some amazing conservationists whose commitment to urban wildlife conservation, no matter how small their projects are, is unwavering. Their work and successes are celebrated within the pages of this book. Above all, it is hoped that this book will inspire you to look at cities with different eyes and realise that is is probably more important to spread the conservation message here than anywhere else in the world. But it will also inspire you open your eyes wherever you are, and to appreciate the diversity of wildlife to be found in our urban environments.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:37953]  Birding for the curious: the easiest way for anyone to explore the incredible world of birds.
Swick, Nate.
Salem: Page Street Publishing, 2015.
Octavo, laminated boards, 176 pp., colour illustrations.
AU$30.00

This book isn't for a birder. It's for the huge audience of people who hike, maybe have bird feeders, and generally enjoy nature. With this book, the naturalist will discover an incredible and rewarding new adventure in the beautiful world of birds. The book is packed with easy and fun activities and information about birds, how to find them and their part in the nature around us. The information in this book will not only help you identify and learn more about birds, but you'll have a blast doing it. Nate Swick, member of the American Birding Association, has compiled chapters upon chapters of interesting, unique and informative birding knowledge, followed by activities that use the skills you learned. So not only will you learn things like what kind of birds you're looking at around the neighbourhood, how to decipher different bird calls, and how to bring the birds to your backyard, but you'll complete fun activities like creating a list of the most popular birds in your area, creating a sound map of bird calls, and making a feeder for your backyard. Written for a North American audience, this book is full of practical advice that can be applied in all countries.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:35697]  Scilly birding: joining the madding crowd.
Davey, Simon.
Harpenden: Brambleby Books, 2013.
Octavo, paperback, 184 pp., black and white illustrations, map.
AU$20.00



A humorous account of the passion, joys, highs and lows experienced by a dedicated bird enthusiast in his pursuit of an experience with rare birds on the Isles of Scilly, UK.



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Image for this item [Stock ID:35573]  Green birding: how to see more birds and protect the environment at the same time.
Gregson, Richard.
Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books, 2013.
Octavo, paperback, 134 pp., colour photographs, maps.
AU$33.00


Includes advice on how to birdwatch closer to home by attracting more birds to your home garden as well as looking at often-overlooked spots in cities and suburban neighbourhoods that can be bird magnets. Provides information on adapting your equipment to this new style of birding and how to get involved in local conservation projects and groups. Although this book has a US focus, it will prove very useful for those birders keen to be more environmentally conscious.


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Image for this item [Stock ID:36017]  Birds: coping with an obsession: one man's journey through 70 years of birdwatching.
Moore, Derek.
London: New Holland Publishers, 2013.
Octavo, dustwrapper, 271 pp., colour and black and white photographs.
AU$30.00

Passionate birdwatcher and conservationist Derek Moore has been an instrumental figure in British ornithology for more than half a century. Renowned as one of birding's best story-tellers, Derek takes a nostalgic journey through the past five or six decades, recounting many highly entertaining tales, from huge falls of migrant birds engulfing his cricket pitch in the 1960s to heated run-ins with land owners and developers during the years when he was instrumental in establishing a network of key nature reserves along the coast of East Anglia. During his lifetime Derek has seen a sea change in every aspect of birdwatching and conservation, and his hugely engaging style of writing will make this book a 'must have' for all birdwatchers and conservationists.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:35059]  The profit of birding.
Bland, Bryan.
London: New Holland Publishers, 2012.
Octavo, dustwrapper, 352 pp., colour photographs, line drawings.
AU$30.00

Bryan Bland has led thousands of birding tours to more than 70 countries. On one such trip a bemused waiter once posed the question: "Where is the profit in birding?" Bryan is famed as one of birding's greatest story-tellers, and he uses his book to answer this question emphatically. In short, there's more to birding than just birds, although these clearly provide a great deal of interest and pleasure. In addition history, dramatic scenery, location filming, plus much else from world politics to the crucial life-enhancing role of music are all featured in this light-hearted examination of the profit of birding. Tales include scrapes with terrorists, running 50 miles across the landslide-strewn Himalayas in order to keep an appointment with a tour group, and Britain's first-ever breeding pair of Parrot Crossbills using Bryan's beard to build their nest! Birders and non-birders alike will enjoy the humorous anecdotal narrative, while the lively text is accompanied by many of the author's photographs and exquisite line-drawings.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:37806]  Behind the binoculars: interviews with acclaimed birdwatchers.
Avery, Mark and Keith Betton.
Exeter: Pelagic Publishing, 2015.
Octavo, dustwrapper, 252 pp. colour photographs.
AU$46.00


Mark Avery and Keith Betton, passionate birdwatchers and conservationists, interview members of the British birdwatching community to answer questions about their lives as birdwatchers. They take you behind the scenes, and behind the binoculars, of a diverse range of birding and wildlife personalities such as Chris Packham, Phil Hollom, Mark Cocker, Stephen Moss and Robert Gillmor.


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Image for this item [Stock ID:38738]  The genius of birds.
Ackerman, Jennifer.
Brunswick: Scribe Publications, 2016.
Octavo, paperback, 340 pp., black and white illustrations.
AU$35.00

Birds are astonishingly intelligent creatures. In fact, according to revolutionary new research, some birds rival primates and even humans in their remarkable forms of intelligence. Like humans, many birds have enormous brains relative to their size. Although small, bird brains are packed with neurons that allow them to punch well above their weight. In The Genius of Birds, acclaimed author Jennifer Ackerman explores the newly discovered brilliance of birds and how it came about. As she travels the globe, Ackerman not only tells the story of the often unexplored intelligence of birds but also delves deeply into the latest findings about the bird brain itself that are revolutionizing our view of what it means to be intelligent. Consider, as Ackerman does, the Clark's nutcracker, a bird that can hide as many as 30,000 seeds over dozens of square miles and remember where it put them several months later; the mockingbirds and thrashers, species that can store 200 to 2,000 different songs in a brain a thousand times smaller than ours; the well-known pigeon, which knows where it's going, even thousands of miles from familiar territory; and the New Caledonian crow, an impressive bird that makes its own tools. But beyond highlighting how birds use their unique genius in technical ways, Ackerman points out the impressive social smarts of birds. They deceive and manipulate. They eavesdrop. They display a strong sense of fairness. They give gifts. They play keep-away and tug-of-war. They tease. They share. They cultivate social networks. They vie for status. They kiss to console one another. They teach their young. They blackmail their parents. They alert one another to danger. They summon witnesses to the death of a peer. They may even grieve. This elegant scientific investigation and travelogue weaves personal anecdotes with fascinating science. Ackerman delivers an extraordinary story that will both give readers a new appreciation for the exceptional talents of birds and let them discover what birds can reveal about our changing world. Includes a forword by Tim Low.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:39069]  Remarkable birds.
Avery, Mark.
London: Thames and Hudson, 2016.
Octavo, laminated boards, 240 pp., colour illustrations.
AU$55.00

In this beautifully presented volume, over 60 birds are introduced, organized thematically into eight sections, covering all aspects of our relationship with birds. 'Songbirds' celebrates the greatest bird virtuosi, such as the Nightingale, while 'Birds of Prey' include majestic hunters such as the Harpy Eagle, which catches prey as large as monkeys and sloths. 'Feathered Travellers' describes astounding journeys made by birds - even some tiny Hummingbirds migrate huge distances. 'The Love Life of Birds' can rival any soap opera and involves the most brilliant displays, notably the Birds of Paradise, with their extravagant feathers and dances. 'Avian Cities' explores species such as the Flamingo that live in spectacular large colonies. 'Useful to Us' examines the ways we find birds of value, such as the Turkey, but also the Canary. 'Threatened and Extinct' describes some no longer living and others that are currently on the brink. Birds have also had great mystical significance, both for good and evil, and 'Revered and Adored' considers such species as the Sacred Ibis, believed by the ancient Egyptians to represent the god Thoth. For anyone interested in the natural world and the wonderful variety of birds around us, this beautifully illustrated book is a visual treat that will inspire, inform and delight.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:38961]  Birds: myth, lore and legend.
Chadd, Rachel Warren and Marianne Taylor.
London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2016.
Octavo, laminated boards, 304 pp., colour photographs and illustrations.
AU$55.00

Why are owls regarded either as wise or as harbingers of doom? What gave rise to the fanciful belief that storks bring babies? Why is the eagle associated with victory or the hummingbird with paradise? The answers are here in this new and engaging book. By re-telling the many legends, beliefs, proverbs and predictions associated with more than 80 birds from many nations, it brings into focus the close - and often ancient - links between humans and these remarkable feathered descendants of dinosaurs. Discover, for instance: Why the cockerel features on many church spires The one sacred bird that symbolises life and peace in most cultures How to dispel bad luck if you see this black-and-white bird The South-American 'devil bird' once thought to be a dragon Birds: lore, myth and legend draws on historical accounts and scientific literature to reveal how colourful tales or superstitions were shaped by human imagination from each bird's behaviour or appearance. It offers an enchanting and different perspective on birds across the world.

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Image for this item [Stock ID:36883]  Tales of remarkable birds.
Couzens, Dominic.
London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015.
Octavo, laminated boards, 224 pp., colour photographs.
AU$40.00

Throughout the bird world, examples of strange and seemingly inexplicable behaviours abound. For example: Why do Male Fairywrens bring flowers to females as a nuptial gift in the pre-dawn darkness? Especially when the gift-givers are not the official mates of the females concerned, but visitors, and furthermore they may give these gifts in full view of the official mate. Why do gangs of White-winged Choughs "kidnap" their neighbours' fledglings and then keep them in their "gang"? Which bird is so big, strong and fierce that stories abound of it killing humans? This book looks at accounts of murderous Cassowaries and explains just what might have happened. What happens in an albatross "divorce"? This book divides the world by continent and takes a series of extraordinary stories from each to illustrate a great diversity of bird behaviour. Each continent has around five or six stories, each described in 1,500 to 2,000 words and examines the truths and the mythology behind each example. An intriguing book from an author with an ability to engage with his audience.

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Andrew Isles Natural History Books
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(PO Box 2305)
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