Birds of Australia: Seventh Edition (Princeton Field Guides) (Paperback)

by Ken Simpson (Author), Nicolas Day (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
This field guide is an essential field and library reference for anyone observing and identifying Australia's rich birdlife. Most highly recommended.
(Wildlife Activist )

Considerable attention has gone into the excellent design. The vibrancy of the color plates, with attention to the feature detail, is magnificent.
(Quarterly Review of Biology )

Product Description
This is the completely revised seventh edition of Australia's best field guide, with more than 500,000 copies sold over its lifetime. In 132 color plates of remarkable beauty and precision, Nicolas Day has captured the details of all of Australia's 760 birds. Succinct text by Ken Simpson and other experts gives key points of identification, as well as information about the birds' abundance and patterns of movement. Every species text is accompanied by a detailed map showing the boundaries of breeding and non-breeding populations.

This updated edition includes sixteen new or revised color plates, all new distribution maps with subspecies shown, and more than 900 black-and white-illustrations. The Vagrant Bird Bulletin has been extended to include 74 species, while a useful breeding summary for every species gives immediate information regarding their annual breeding cycle.

All readers, whether beginners or experienced birdwatchers, ornithologists, students or travelers, will find Simpson & Day's Birds of Australia an unrivalled companion to discovering the unique birdlife of this remarkable continent.

• Field guide section that offers key points of identification using the latest classification system
• 132 superb full color plates showing all Australian bird species, including 16 new or revised plates
• All new distribution maps with subspecies shown
• More than 900 black and white line illustrations, many new or redrawn
• Extended breeding information
• Vagrant Bird Bulletin with 74 species
• Updated core library for beginner birdwatchers

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 392 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press; 7 edition (July 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691120498
• ISBN-13: 978-0691120492
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #665,597 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Peterson Down Under, April 14, 2001

By	Kevin C. (Williamsburg, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birds of Australia (Paperback)

This book never left my side while I was in Oz, although at times I thought about leaving it behind. My biggest complaint would be size; this book is a bit too large to be a proper field guide. It is as thick as Nat'l Geo, but about an inch longer in width and height. The plates were more than adequate, however few birds were shown in juv. plumage. Good text descriptions, notes on behaviors, and birds in flight usually shown. Very Peterson-esque. Half of the book is a handbook at the back. Plenty of good life history info. on the birds, but not necessary in the field. If only the handbook came as a seperate supplement . . .

One last note: I did not see another book either in stores or in another birder's hand while in Australia that I thought was as good or better than this guide.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good, June 15, 2006

By	Laszlo Wagner (Hungary) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This guide covers all the bird species known to occur in Australia - not an easy task in a continent with as rich an aviafauna.
I found it very good - the illustrations are excellent quality and often cover distinctive subspecies separately.
The maps, conveniently placed opposite the illustrations also show boundaries of the various subspecies' distribution - something few field guides seem to bother with!
All the essential information about appearence, size, voice and habitat is also found along with the maps right opposite the pictures.
These pages make up the bulk of the book, followed by a "Vagrant Bird Bulletin", breeding information, checklists for off-shore island territories and excellent lists of local oganisations and recommended further reading - complete with the competing field guides!
Once you remove the color cover, the book is bound in a sturdy but flexible plastic one - making it ideal for carrying in the field without getting it torn or soaked.
All in all, this is an excellent book that served me very well on my first trip in Australia.
However, on the latest one I have used Morcombe's Field Guide to Australian Birds: Complete Compact Edition which, incredibly, manages to be even better - check it out!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Guide, July 13, 2007

By	D.J. Young (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

This is a really good book for people who are into bird watching. I looked at several guides and I'm really glad that I got this one. The book is logically laid out and the colour plates are great. It is a bit big Aprox 16cm x 22cm but the way it is laid out justifies it. This is a great reference book that will give bird watches many years of enjoyment.