New Titles

 

 

 

1) Menkhorst, Peter et al.. The Australian Bird Guide: Revised Edition. 2024. Helm. Flexibound: 566 pages. Price: $55.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Australia's avifauna is large, diverse and spectacular, reflecting the continent's wide range of habitats and evolutionary history. The book covers every regularly occurring species in Australia, including subspecies and rarities. Illustrations of more than 900 species on almost 250 plates, with particular emphasis on providing the fine detail required to identify difficult groups and distinctive plumages, make The Australian Bird Guide the most comprehensive guide to Australian birds ever published.

     This revised edition includes updated maps and artwork, reflecting advances in our knowledge of the biology and distribution of Australia's birds, plus fully updated text to ensure identification, distribution and status details are current and accurate, along with an improved index.

     This book sets the standard for coverage of Australia's remarkable avifauna. It is truly indispensable for anyone looking to explore Australia's magnificent and unique birdlife.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a MUST-HAVE for anyone birding Australia!

 

 

2) Boon, Richard. Clinging to the Edge: A Year in the Life of a Little Tern Colony. 2024. Pelagic Publishing. Paperback: 134 pages. Price: $36.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: A summer migrant to Europe from West Africa, the Little Tern is one of our most threatened and most captivating seabirds. This book is the story of one breeding season at the Beacon Lagoons colony on the North Sea coast, near Spurn Point in East Yorkshire. In elegant and evocative prose it offers an intimate portrait of these endangered birds, covering everything from foraging and breeding to predators and conservation.

     The colony's small size means that it can be monitored, protected and documented in an unusual level of detail. Close observation of the birds' behaviour and an in-depth knowledge of the natural history of their environment raise important questions about how and why we seek to preserve and protect species for whose decline we are ourselves largely responsible. A tight focus on the spectacular natural, geographical and cultural headland that is Spurn Point also provides new insights into the ecology of Little Terns. Covering the progress of the colony month by month, through an eventful spring and summer, Clinging to the Edge brings these charismatic and endearing birds vividly to life.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in Little Terns.

 

3) Hansen, Robert and Jackson D. Shedd. California Amphibians and Reptiles. 2025. Princeton University Press. Flexibound: 520 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: California is home to more than 200 species of reptiles and amphibians that can be found in an extraordinary array of habitats, from coastal temperate rainforests with giant redwoods to southeastern deserts offering dazzling wildflower displays each spring. California Amphibians and Reptiles covers every species and subspecies in this biodiverse region of the United States, with outstanding color photography and in-depth species accounts that draw on the latest findings on taxonomy and distribution. Setting a new standard for regional field guides, this state-of-the-art guide will serve as the definitive reference for California’s amphibian and reptile fauna for many years to come.

• Covers all 209 species of amphibians and reptiles found in California
• Features hundreds of stunning photos that illustrate geographic and within-species variation as well as differences among males, females, and young
• Includes first-ever color images and species accounts for newly discovered species
• Shows every species and subspecies in full color on a white background
• Depicts all amphibian larvae in breathtaking color
• Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, similar species, habitat, range and elevation, activity and behavior, diet, reproduction, and conservation
• Provides updated status of all threatened, endangered, nonnative, and special concern species
• Accurate range maps reflect contemporary and, where applicable, historical distributions in light of significant habitat loss across the state
• An invaluable resource for amateur naturalists, resource managers, and professional herpetologists

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a MUST-HAVE for anyone with an interest in California's amphibians and reptiles! 

 

 

 

4) Harris, Stephen A.. Catesby's Natural History. 2024. Bodleian Library. Hardbound: 304 pages. Price: $75.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: A beautiful reproduction of naturalist Mark Catesby’s flora and fauna illustrations of North America and the Caribbean.

      Mark Catesby was an eighteenth-century naturalist and artist whose work on the natural history of North America and the Caribbean still resonates today. During several perilous trips, Catesby collected specimens and made extensive observations in the field, gathering material that would eventually become The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, which featured 220 elaborate, distinctive hand-colored illustrations.

      With their striking combinations of animals and plants paired together with the first-hand observations he made, Catesby’s stunning illustrations were widely appreciated in their time and catalyzed interest in the natural history of Colonial America. Ultimately, his work was established as a key reference for the scientific understanding of natural history. As an artist, Catesby meticulously recorded the environment, sifting fact from fiction about the lives of the plants and animals he observed. As a collector, he introduced many living plants to Britain, thereby changing European gardens forever.

     Catesby’s Natural History reproduces all the original plates and shows how Catesby’s practical field experience shaped his work in all areas. Whether through the now-extinct species he recorded or the cultural changes he witnessed, his research continues to be relevant, demonstrating the vulnerability and fragility of the natural world. 

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in the natural history history of North America.