Customer Reviews

The Princeton Field Guide to the Birds of Australia

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I used this guide on a recent trip to Australia and found it to be an excellent companion. The illustrations are accurate and the text draws attention to the most important ID features. The maps seem to be well researched and accurate. Unlike most Field Guides this guide includes a handbook section which gives a potted biography, family by family of behaviour and ecology. This handbook section always provided some interesting extra detail of birds seen. In conlusion, a great field guide, well illustrated and researched.

I used two field guides on my trip to Australia last year. I primarily used the Simpson guide and occasionally referred to the Pizzey guide. I found the Simpson guide to be quite helpful, with excellent drawings, range maps that were placed alongside each species, and interesting ecological information about each ornithological order at the end of the book. My main criticisms of the Simpson guide are that I thought the Pizzey guide did a better job at depicting the subtle features that separate the honeyeater species, and the Simpson guide was too large to fit into a jacket or pants pocket. Despite these criticisms, I thought the Simpson guide was a very good birding field guide. I have a friend who will be traveling to Australia soon, and I will be buying the Simpson guide as a gift to her.

The Simpson Guide is an excellent, well-researched field guide and it shows. Although this book doesn't have photographs of the birds, the illustrations are first-rate. These illustrations are particular insofar as they depict both male and female plumage, chicks and juveniles, ventral and dorsal flight, face pattern, bill/beak length and more. Obviously, the information varies in length from bird to bird. The entries include plumage, habitat, size and voice and convenient avifaunal range maps, which again are accurate.

Towards the end of the book, there is what is called a handbook, explaining at length the life cycle of a bird, types of habitat, prehistory, Australian bird families and a rare bird bulletin (again showing smaller colored illustrations of these rare birds) To top it off, there is also a glossary and and index of Latin names.

Overall it is comprehensive, thorough volume.