Finding Australian Birds – A Field Guide to Birding Location By Tim Dolby & Rohan Clarke | Colour photographs | Maps | 624 pages | CSIRO Publishing | Paperback | May 2014 | SBN: 9780643097667They Say: Finding Australian Birds is a guide to the special birds found across Australia’s vastly varied landscapes. From the eastern rainforests to central deserts, Australia is home to some 900 species of birds. This book covers over 400 Australian bird watching sites conveniently grouped into the best birding areas, from one end of the country to the other. This includes areas such as Kakadu in the Top End and rocky gorges in the central deserts of the Northern Territory, the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, rainforests distributed along the eastern Australian seaboard, some of the world’s tallest forests in Tasmania, the Flinders Ranges and deserts along the iconic Strzelecki and Birdsville Tracks in South Australia, and the mallee temperate woodlands and spectacular coastlines in both Victoria and south west Western Australia.

Each chapter begins with a brief description of the location, followed by a section on where to find the birds, which describes specific birdwatching sites within the location’s boundaries, and information on accommodation and facilities. The book also provides a comprehensive ‘Bird Finding Guide’, listing all of Australia’s birds with details on their abundance and where exactly to see them.

Of value to both Australian birdwatchers and international visitors, this book will assist novices, birders of intermediate skill and keen ‘twitchers’ to find any Australian species.

• Up-to-date information on over 400 good birding sites in Australia, written by Australians with first hand knowledge of the sites.
• An easy to understand travel companion for local and international bird tourists on Australia’s best natural sites such as Kakadu, the Great Barrier Reef, Alice Springs and Uluru.
and the Great Southern Ocean.
• Reference guide for finding birds of Australia

The Authors:
Tim Dolby is a well-known Australian birdwatcher and former Convener of BirdLife Australia in Victoria. He was the principal editor of Where to See Birds in Victoria, and previously organised the celebrated birdwatching event, the Twitchathon. He currently moderates Birdline Australia and Birdline Victoria.

Rohan Clarke is an ecologist at Monash University with expertise in conservation biology and avian ecology. He is also a prominent member of the Australian birdwatching community, having been involved in the discovery of over 15 species not previously recorded in Australia. He is a longstanding member of the BirdLife Australia Rarities Committee and sits on the editorial board for the journal Australian Field Ornithology.They Say: Finding Australian Birds is a guide to the special birds found across Australia’s vastly varied landscapes. From the eastern rainforests to central deserts, Australia is home to some 900 species of birds. This book covers over 400 Australian bird watching sites conveniently grouped into the best birding areas, from one end of the country to the other. This includes areas such as Kakadu in the Top End and rocky gorges in the central deserts of the Northern Territory, the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, rainforests distributed along the eastern Australian seaboard, some of the world’s tallest forests in Tasmania, the Flinders Ranges and deserts along the iconic Strzelecki and Birdsville Tracks in South Australia, and the mallee temperate woodlands and spectacular coastlines in both Victoria and south west Western Australia.

Each chapter begins with a brief description of the location, followed by a section on where to find the birds, which describes specific birdwatching sites within the location’s boundaries, and information on accommodation and facilities. The book also provides a comprehensive ‘Bird Finding Guide’, listing all of Australia’s birds with details on their abundance and where exactly to see them.

Of value to both Australian birdwatchers and international visitors, this book will assist novices, birders of intermediate skill and keen ‘twitchers’ to find any Australian species.

• Up-to-date information on over 400 good birding sites in Australia, written by Australians with first hand knowledge of the sites.
• An easy to understand travel companion for local and international bird tourists on Australia’s best natural sites such as Kakadu, the Great Barrier Reef, Alice Springs and Uluru.
and the Great Southern Ocean.
• Reference guide for finding birds of Australia

The Authors:
Tim Dolby is a well-known Australian birdwatcher and former Convener of BirdLife Australia in Victoria. He was the principal editor of Where to See Birds in Victoria, and previously organised the celebrated birdwatching event, the Twitchathon. He currently moderates Birdline Australia and Birdline Victoria.

Rohan Clarke is an ecologist at Monash University with expertise in conservation biology and avian ecology. He is also a prominent member of the Australian birdwatching community, having been involved in the discovery of over 15 species not previously recorded in Australia. He is a longstanding member of the BirdLife Australia Rarities Committee and sits on the editorial board for the journal Australian Field Ornithology.Fatbirder View: I’ve little to add to the fulsome description above. Except, maybe, I can’t wait to put it to the test in the field. I’ve never been to southeastern Australia and would love to find some new birds and this book would make it that much easier.

The two issues I do have are weight and the maps. It is rather heavy and one might be tempted to go for a less comprehensive guide if you are flying in rather than putting the book in the car. The maps are OK so far as they go but I would like more detail, particularly those for specific parks or small sites and a key would be useful. I am not sure if the tails can be driven or only walked and so forth. Nevertheless, for any Australian birder going out of state or anyone from overseas visiting more than one state this book is a must.