Australian Bird Names is aimed at anyone with an interest in birds, words, or the history of Australian biology and bird-watching. It discusses common and scientific names of every Australian bird, to tease out the meanings, which may be useful, useless or downright misleading!
The authors examine every species: its often many-and-varied common names, its full scientific name, with derivation, translation and a guide to pronunciation. Stories behind the name are included, as well as relevant aspects of biology, conservation and history. Original descriptions, translated by the authors, have been sourced for many species.
As well as being a book about names this is a book about the history of ever-developing understandings of birds, about the people who contributed and, most of all, about the birds themselves.
A greater understanding of the origins and bases for the names and relationships of Australian birds, which will in turn assist with greater appreciation of and familiarity with the birds themselves
An up-to-date, totally comprehensible and readily digestible check-list of Australian birds, with the added advantage of much extra information
Presented in an entertaining and discursive manner, so that it can be read for enjoyment, as well as a reference
Acknowledgments
Introduction How common names of Australian birds have been derived How scientific names of birds are derived Procedures and pronunciations
Non-Passerines
Passerines
References
Index
The work is aimed at anyone with an interest in birds, words, or the history of Australian biology and bird-watching.
Ian Fraser is a naturalist, conservationist, author, ABC broadcaster, natural history tour guide, environmental consultant and adult educator who has lived and worked in Canberra since 1980. He was awarded the Australian Natural History Medallion in 2006, for services to conservation and education, and is the author of A Bush Capital Year.
Jeannie Gray is a retired teacher and counsellor with a lifelong passion for the study of languages and natural history.