Did you know?
The earliest known bird was Archaeopteryx, which lived 155-150 million years ago!
Scientists believe that birds evolved from lightly built dinosaurs!
Pacific Baza photograph by ©Tom Sjolund
Did you know?
The earliest known bird was Archaeopteryx, which lived 155-150 million years ago!
Scientists believe that birds evolved from lightly built dinosaurs!
Pacific Baza photograph by ©Tom Sjolund
The study of birds is a fascinating hobby for some and a lifetime of devoted research for others. Whatever the level of your interest there is no doubt that obtaining some knowledge of bird anatomy, behaviour and habitat will considerably enhance your enjoyment of our avian fauna.
Use the links below to explore some of the information that is available about birds that will assist you to study them.
Books Atlas SIG's Conferences Links Bird Quiz
Books ^
The most comprehensive source of information about birds in Australasia is the Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Arctic Birds (HANZAB). It is an encyclopedia of seven volumes published by Oxford University Press. Volumes 1 - 6 have already been published with volume 7 by the end of 2005. More information is available from Birds Australia website. Copies of the various volumes of HANZAB can be ordered from the Birding Shop.
Many field guides are available that provide practical information about different species, where to find them, how to identify them etc. Some of the more popular ones are listed below.
The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia by Pizzey & Knight.
Field Guide to Australian Birds by Michael Moorhouse
Photographic Guide to Birds of Australia by Jim Flegg
All of these and more are available from the Birding Shop.
Atlas ^
The Australian Atlas of Australian Birds is a three year project that used 7000 participants to produce 240,000 surveys. The comparative study of this data with that produced by an earlier Atlas project in 1979-81 represents one of the largest and most comprehensive databases of wildlife in the world.
Birds Australia is now in the process of compiling this data into useful forms for research and conservation. One of the aims is to produce an electronic form of the Atlas that will provide any interested person with acces to this unique source of information.
Further information about the Atlas can be found on the Birds Australia Website.
Special Interest Groups (SIG's) ^
A number of special interest groups focus their attention on particular groups of birds (families) such as raptors or even a particular type (species) of bird such as the Red Tailed Black Cockatoo. By joining one of these groups you can gain specialist knowledge in an area you have a special interest.
Australian Raptor Association. Email Mark Holdsworth
Australian Wader Studies Group. Email Ken Gosbell
Australian Seabird Group. Email Heather Gibbs
Birds Australia Parrot Association. Email Ian Temby
Conferences ^
Conferences are an excellent way to keep up to date with the latest research about birds as well as get to know some of the personalities involved. They can be very stimulating experiences.
Australian Ornithological Conference is held every second year and have post-conference tours available. The schedule is 2003 - Canberra, 2005- New Zealand, 2007 Armidale.
Birds Australia has an annual Congress and Campout. Details are advertised in the magazine Wingspan and also on the BA website.
Links ^
There is a wealth of information about birds on the Internet that can answer just about any question you have about birds. The links below are just some of those available.
Bird Anatomy
www.exoticbird.com/anat101.htm
birding.about.com/cs/birdanatomy
The life of birds - a companion web site to the TV program by David Attenborough.
Bower birds
www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/bowerbird
Parrots
www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/parrots
Eagles
www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/eagles