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Australian Bird Names

Australian Bird Names Edition 2

According to the second edition of the Australian Department of the Environment and Energy’s “Numbers of Living Species in Australia and the World,” 2nd edition, there are 828  (plus 13 identified as extinct in the wild and another 27 as introduced) species of birds in Australia. And as with so many other things in Oz, a generous portion of these have names, common or scientific alike, reflective of their Australian home, it’s history, and the languages of its first peoples that simply cry out like a flock of White Cockatoos for an explanation of their origin.

Guide to Venomous and Medically Important Invertebrates

Guide_to_Venomous_and_Medically_Important_Invertebrates

When it comes to the literature of natural history, there are certain words that when found in the title of a book automatically draw attention to it – words such as “invertebrates,” “medically important,” and “venomous.” So when all of these are found in the title of one single book, well… how could any self-respecting naturalist possibly resist the desire to learn more about it?

The Red Kangaroo in Central Australia

Red Kangaroo cover

For such an iconic species, it is surprising to discover that prior to Alan Newsome’s pioneering studies of it, little was known about the ecological history of the Red Kangaroo. Now, thanks to decades of Dr. Newsome’s research and the additional work of his son Dr. Thomas Newsome, CSIRO Publishing has now brought out The Red Kangaroo in Central Australia; An Early Account by A. E. Newsome.

The Dingo Debate

Dingo Debate

More than most any animal other than the kangaroo, the Dingo is synonymous with the Australian outback. But just as with so many creatures that have come into conflict with humans, the Dingo has gotten a bit of a bad rap. However when their history is examined and thoughtfully considered, they are actually quite fascinating.

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