The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand by Barrie Heather, Hugh Robertson
The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand.-Barrie Heather and Hugh Robertson. 1997. Oxford University Press, New York. 432 pp., 74 color plates, numerous range maps. ISBN 0-19-850143-3. $95.00 (hardback). ISBN 0-19-850145-5. $39.95 (paper).
This book is apparently an up-date of a series of books, the last of which was published about 20 years ago. The book is really a major make-over, however, and is in the format similar to that of the Field Guide to the Birds of Australia by Simpson and Day (1996, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ), which also recently was revised. The first section of the book has color plates on the right page and detailed identification information and range maps on the left page. The second section of the book has species accounts that include a wealth of information on all aspects of bird biology, including geographic variation, population sizes, behavior, conservation, feeding, etc. For most species, there also is a further reading section at the end of the account for those who want to go to the primary source for information. If you are actually going to New Zealand, I would still recommend Chambers' Birds of New Zealand Locality Guide (1989, Arun Books, Hamilton, NZ) to find and identify birds, but I would also bring this book along. It is undoubtedly the most comprehensive book on all the birds of New Zealand and should be part of any general ornithological library.-KIMBERLY G. SMITH, Department of Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, e-mail: kgsmith@comp.uark.edu
