ORNITHOLOGICAL LITERATURE 
197 
birds and shorebirds, which have been accepted 
by the Australian rare birds records committee. 
This section includes, on a single page for each set 
of species, the color figures, descriptions, and 
maps with smaller figures than in the main color 
plates. End plates sketch the bill profile and plates 
for the larger petrels, shearwaters, and albatross, 
life size and with a length calibration; the sketches 
are useful for identification of beach-washed 
birds. The biological information and the common 
and scientific names are consistent with the 
regional standard on Australian birds (HANZAB 
1990-2006), and the family names are those of 
Christidis and Bowles (2008). The information 
summarizes a wealth of other recent publications 
as well. The Birds of Australia is not only a field 
guide (it is mainly a field guide, pages 18—302); it 
is also a concise handbook of all the 780 species. 
The color plates are the best I have seen of 
Australian birds, colorful and clear, and generally 
true to the shape, plumage color, and details of the 
birds. Perhaps most amazing are the diverse and 
colorful Australian parrots and the cuckoos. The 
color plates show the variation in age, male and 
female, appearance in flight and perched, plumage 
morphs, and distinctive races. However, the head 
patterns of the three jaegers ( Stercorarius ) are not 
shown as distinctive as they are in the field (adults 
have a black helmet in Pomarine Jaeger [S. 
pomarinus], a cap to just below the eye in Paras¬ 
itic Jaeger [S. parasiticus], and a smaller cap in 
Long-tailed Jaeger [S. longicaudus]). The male 
western Splendid Fairywren (Malurus splendens 
splendens) is too purplish; the plumage in Western 
Australia is bright blue not purple. The “yellow¬ 
faced morph” of Gouldian Finch (. Erythrura 
gouldiae) is only slightly less red (to me, “dark 
orange” or “orange”) than the red-faced morph; 
nevertheless this plumage has long been known as 
the “yellow-faced morph”. The birds on a plate are 
shown on the same scale with additional views of 
birds in flight and in the distance illustrated at 
smaller scales. The illustrations are lifelike; all show 
the identifying features. Some birds are illustrated 
on a plain background and other birds are shown 
with a view of their natural habitat. The number of 
birds on a plate varies according to the species. For 
examples, the plate for two species of Diomedea 
albatross has 16 color figures and the facing 
descriptive page has 15 additional black and white 
figures of birds seen in flight from below and on the 
water from the front; the plate for five species of 
kites shows 25 birds; and the plate for eight species 
of bulbuls, thrushes, and starlings has 14 birds and a 
footnote refers to six additional species that are 
illustrated and described elsewhere in the “Vagrant 
bird bulletin.” The “Field information” pages are 
short on bird descriptions; they point out the unique 
features for identification of the species, and the 
color figures of the birds largely speak for 
themselves. There are more than 900 black and 
white illustrations of chicks, differences between 
males and females (as in the black cockatoo 
[Calyptorhynchus] species by bill shape, color and 
facial pattern), geographic races, face patterns, wing 
patterns, undertail patterns, tails of snipe ( Gallinago) 
and gerygone ( Gerygone) species, and relative size 
of similar species (one page shows 17 “black bush 
birds” of Australia), and typical behaviors. The 
distribution maps show the areas of breeding, 
nonbreeding, and irregular or nomadic occurrence. 
End sections describe and illustrate the habitats in 
Australia; breeding information about each family 
including nest site and structure, eggs, parental care 
(role of male and female, duration of parental care), 
and breeding season of each species; checklists of 
Australian island territories; and appendices of hints 
for birding, an extensive glossary, lists of Australian 
naturalist organizations and bird books, and indices 
of Latin names and common names. 
The book is a complete and attractive field 
guide and also a concise source of information on 
the biology of Australian birds. It is nearly 25 mm 
(1 inch) taller and wider than the National 
Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North 
America . I recommend the book to everyone with 
an interest in the birds of Australia.—ROBERT 
B. PAYNE, Professor Emeritus, University of 
Michigan, 1306 Granger Avenue, Ann Arbor, 
MI 48104, USA; e-mail: rbpayne@umich.edu 
LITERATURE CITED 
Christidis, L. and W. Boles. 2008. Systematics and 
taxonomy of Australian birds. CSIRO Publishing, 
Collingwood, Victoria, Australia. 
HANZAB. 1990-2006. Handbook of Australian, New 
Zealand and Antarctic birds. Volumes 1-7. Oxford 
University Press, Melbourne, Australia. 
