Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds: Volume 5: Tyrant-flycatchers to Chats [Hardcover]

P. J. Higgins (Editor), J. M. Peter (Editor), W. K. Steele (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 17, 2001

The Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (HANZAB) is one of the most exciting projects in international ornithology. HANZAB provides an up-to-date, comprehensive and accurate synthesis of our knowledge of all the birds in the region. HANZAB continues the tradition of authoritative publications on Australian birds that began with Gould's Handbook of the Birds of Australia (1865). It will have a major impact on the direction of future research and the conservation of Australasian and Antarctic Birds. The area covered by HANZAB includes Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica, the Antarctic and subantarctic islands, and the external territories of Cocos-Keeling, Christmas, Lord Howe, Norfolk, Kermadec, and Chatham Islands, and the islands and reefs of the Coral Sea. Approximately 900 species of birds have been recorded in this region. The information is presented in sections: Field Identification, Habitat, Distribution and Population, Movements, Food, Social Organization, Social Behavior, Voice, Breeding, and Plumages and related matters. Each account concludes with a full list of references. The accounts also include illustrations of behavioral postures and plumage features, maps showing breeding and non-breeding distribution, sonograms of calls and songs, and diagrams of timing of breeding and moulting. Breeding species receive full treatment in these sections. Non-breeding migrants, vagrant species, and those with doubtful records have a reduced treatment. All species, except those that have become extinct in historical times, or vagrants not recorded since 1900, or for which records are doubtful, are illustrated. There are 52 colour plates, painted for HANZAB. Many amateur and professional ornithologists from around the world have contributed to HANZAB. Volume 5 covers 118 species: kingbirds and tyrant-flycatchers; New Zealand wrens; pittas; lyrebirds; scrub-birds; Australian treecreepers; Australasian wrens (fairy-wrens, grasswrens and emu-wrens); honeyeaters and chats.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is the fifth volume of a projected seven-volume guide to the birds of Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica. It describes 118 species, of which 115 breed in the region, including the pittas, lyrebirds, wrens, and honeyeaters. Information on each species is presented in sections: field identification, habitat, distribution and population, movements, food, social organization and behavior, voice, breeding, and plumages and external morphology. The accounts include b&w illustrations of behavioral postures and plumage features, maps showing breeding and non-breeding distribution, and sonograms of calls and songs. All species (except for those now extinct and vagrants not recorded since 1900) are illustrated with color plates painted for this handbook."--SciTech Book News

About the Author

Peter Higgins is Editor, HANZAB Project, Birds Australia.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1272 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (May 17, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195532589
• ISBN-13: 978-0195532586
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.1 x 2.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,389,338 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)