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This page lists the bird related books in the Australian Natural History Series published by CSIRO. To date about half of the books in the series are about birds. A brief list of opther books in the series is given at the bottom of the page.

"Each book in this definitive series presents a comprehensive and up-to-date account of an animal or groups of animals and is written in a clear, accessible style which is suitable for upper secondary or undergraduate level readers, as well as naturalists."

Australia bird books

Australian Bustard

Mark Ziembicki

CSIRO

2010

"The Australian bustard is Australia's heaviest flying bird. It is an icon of the Australian outback where it is more commonly known as the bush or plains turkey. It is also culturally and spiritually significant to Aboriginal people, who prize it as a favourite bush tucker. This book provides the first complete overview of the biology of the Australian bustard, based on the first major study of the species. The author explores the bustard's ecology and behaviour, its drastic decline since European settlement, and the conservation issues affecting it and its environment. Colour photographs of juvenile and adult birds complement the text as well as showcase particular behaviours, such as the spectacular display routines of males when mating. Australian Bustard is the perfect book for natural history enthusiasts."

Albatrosses

Terence Lindsey

CSIRO

2008

"Albatrosses are largely confined to the region referred to by early mariners as the 'Roaring Forties' and the 'Furious Fifties', otherwise known as the Southern Ocean. The single most distinctive characteristic of the albatrosses is that they ride storms. Aside from a few close relatives among the petrels and shearwaters, they are the only animals (of any kind) that do this. They don't evade storms, or flee them, or grit their figurative teeth and hang on through them, they climb aboard and ride them - effectively throughout their lives. The meterology of the Southern Ocean is so extreme that the region might reasonably be viewed as essentially one enormous, endless storm.One with random patches and periods of relative calm, true - but broadly speaking an eternal torrent of high-velocity air that completely encircles Antarctica. For any non-aquatic animal, this characteristic makes the Southern Ocean nearly as inhospitable as the polar wastes or the most extreme of deserts. To all but the albatross, that is.This work outlines the life histories of these spectacular birds, and explores some of the main strategies and tactics that have evolved to enable them to achieve mastery of one of the most hostile regions on the planet."

Bowerbirds

Peter Rowland

CSIRO

2008

"The bowerbirds are confined to Australia and New Guinea and, due to the difficulty in accessing certain areas of their distribution, the study of their habits has been challenging. The 20 species are also almost equally divided between the two regions with eight species endemic to Australia, 10 to New Guinea and two species occurring in both regions. This book aims to condense the published knowledge acquired by ornithologists that have studied the bowerbirds since their discovery, and deliver it in a format suitable for natural history enthusiasts at any level. While the emphasis of the book is on Australia's members of the family, with detailed accounts on each of the 10 species, the New Guinea representatives are discussed in general chapters and are included in a supplemental section that covers key areas such as breeding, identification and distribution. "Bowerbirds" has over 80 illustrations, including colour pictures of each Australian species, their bowers and distributional maps, in addition to over 140 pages of comprehensive written material."

Mound-Builders

Darryl Jones and Ann Goth

CSIRO

2008

"Mound-builders are unique in being the only birds that do not incubate their eggs using body heat; rather, a variety of naturally occurring sources of heat is exploited such as solar energy and the heat generated by decomposing organic matter. This book shows how this remarkable adaptation influences every part of these birds' lives, including the development of the embryo, the parentless life of the hatchlings, their social organisation and their survival. Twenty-two species of mound-builders exist within the Megapode family. Mound-builders examines the three occurring in Australia: the Scrubfowl in the humid tropics; the Brush turkey in dense forested areas from Cape York to Sydney; and most remarkable of all, the Malleefowl in the arid interior. Scientific interest in these birds has increased considerably in recent decades, and Mound-builders summarises many significant discoveries. With a strong emphasis on conservation and changing interactions between mound-builders and people, this is an excellent introduction to one of the most unusual bird families."

Cockatoos

Matt Cameron

CSIRO

2007

"Cockatoos are large, intelligent and attractive birds. Of the 21 recognised species, 14 are found within Australia, with seven more species found in the islands to Australia's north, including New Guinea. While some species are threatened, many are abundant throughout much of their range. For much of the last century, the cockatoo was generally viewed as a common part of the landscape, often existing in plague proportions, and an intelligent, if somewhat cantankerous, inhabitant of the backyard 'cocky cage'. Today, some species are struggling to hang on in an environment that has been heavily modified by humans. Extensively illustrated, Cockatoos looks at the ecology and conservation of these iconic birds, including their evolution, distribution, movements, feeding and reproduction. It examines the illegal trade in cockatoos, the role of aviculturists, and the attempts to ensure the recovery of many species through appropriate and well-managed captive breeding programs."

Tawny Frogmouth

Gisela Kaplan

CSIRO

2007

"This detailed account of life, behaviour and biology of tawny frogmouths is based on the most comprehensive single study ever conducted on tawny frogmouths, including wild and hand-raised birds. It combines ten years of systematic observation with published research to take us across a surprising range of characteristics and special features of this unusual bird. This book also notes insights derived from specific regional bird fauna surveys across Australia. We are shown this captivating Australian species in completely new and even unexpected ways. We learn that tawny frogmouths are very affectionate, have close bonds with lifelong partners, scream like prowling tomcats when distressed, fight with lightning speed and defend nest sites from reptilian predators by mobbing and spraying pungent faeces at these dangerous opponents. Uncompromising male fights are contrasted with a touching gentleness of males as fathers. We also learn how resilient and unusual tawny frogmouths are in the way they cope with heat and cold, sit out danger, do without drinking for most of their lives, and can use a large variety of food items. The developmental stages of nestlings and juveniles are illustrated with a number of stunning visual images accompanying the text, most of which have never before been described or seen."

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Penny Olsen

CSIRO Publishing

2006

"Australia's Wedge-tailed Eagle belongs to the family of eagles, which together span the world. Eagles are powerful predators, with exceptional powers of flight and sight. They may kill to survive, but they also sleep, play, enjoy a bath, make tender parents, and form lasting relationships. This book gives a comprehensive overview of Australia's largest true eagle and one of the country's few large predators and scavengers. First appearing in Aboriginal rock-paintings more than 5000 years ago, the Wedge-tailed Eagle was little more than a curiosity to the early European settlers. The book traces the subsequent changes in perception - from its branding as a vicious sheep killer to an iconic species worthy of conservation - and covers distribution, habitat, hunting, relationships, reproduction and chick development. A final section deals with threats to the existence of this magnificent bird."

Herons, Egrets and Bitterns: Their Biology and Conservation in Australia

Neil McKilligan

CSIRO Publishing

2005

"This is the first book to deal exclusively with the Australian members of the Family Ardeidae (herons, egrets and bitterns). It gives a comprehensive, easy-to-read account of their origins, classification and biology, and explains the features that distinguish them from other birds. The book devotes a major chapter to the 14 Australian species, covering their distribution and movements, feeding, breeding, population dynamics and conservation. Some of Australia's herons have become very scarce in the southern half of the continent and are at risk of national or local extinction. In northern Australia heron habitats and resources are largely pristine and consequently this region accommodates large numbers of certain species. A final chapter on population and conservation provides a useful summary of the present status of the Australian herons, some of whom are thriving and others who are in a very precarious position."

Australian Magpie: Biology and Behaviour of an Unusual Songbird

Gisela Kaplan

CSIRO

2004

"The warbling and carolling of the Australian magpie are familiar to many although few of us recognise that it ranks among the foremost songbirds of the world. Its impressive vocal abilities, its propensity to play and clown, and its willingness to interact with people, make the magpie one of our most well-known birds. This insightful book presents a comprehensive account of the behaviour of one of Australia's best-loved icons. It reveals the extraordinary capabilities of the magpie, including its complex social behaviour, in a highly readable text. The author brings together much of what we know about the magpie's biology and behaviour, including her latest research on magpie vocalisation as well as aspects of anatomy, physiology, development and health not published previously."

Kookaburra: King of the Bush

Sarah Legge

CSIRO

2004

"Laughing Kookaburras are the largest kingfishers in the world, and Blue-winged Kookaburras are not far behind. Their size and distinctive shape and posture make them easily recognisable; their comical and personable characters make them readily memorable. They are able to live in a wide variety of habitats, and adapt to living around humans relatively well. This cheerful familiarity has caused them to figure prominently in the psyches and folklores of all peoples who have inhabited Australia. Kookaburras live in family groups marked by the extremes of social behaviour. Whilst in the nest, chicks fight their siblings for dominance and food so aggressively that the smallest chick is often killed. In complete contrast, many adult kookaburras delay their own breeding in order to help their relatives raise young. Kookaburra: King of the Bush provides a complete overview of kookaburras and their unique place in Australian culture and natural history."