Beehler et al is in the process of being updated - plates just about
finished I gather.
For PNG as a whole there is also:
Coates, B.J. and Peckover, W.S. (2001). Birds of New Guinea and
the Bismarck Archipelago: A Photographic Guide. Alderley,Qld.,
Dove Publications, 272 p.
Where is the Highlands are you going? there are lists available for
some areas. eg:
Mack, A.L. and Wright, D.D. 1996. Notes on occurrence and feeding of
birds at Crater Mountain Biological Research Station, Papua New Guinea.
Emu, 96(2), 89-101.
and many others in the Newsletter of the PNG BIRD Society (I have a
complete run available on CD if useful)
and also some unpublished lists: (I have copies of :)
Jaensch, R. 1998. Annex 5: Birds of the Lake Kutubu Swamp
Forest, Papua New Guinea. Summary Report.
Jaensch, R. and Kulmoi, P. 1998. Birds recorded at Tubo Lodge,
Lake Kutubu.
Diamond, J. and K. D. Bishop (2000). Birds of Mt. Sisa,
For the World Wildlife Fund/Chevron Kikori Integrated Conservation and
Development Project.
Abstract: This report summarizes a survey of birds that we carried out
on Mt. Sisa, at the request of its Huli land-owners. Our survey was
organized and sponsored by World Wildlife Fund (abbreviated WWF) and
Chevron, which are collaborating to monitor and preserve the
environment of the Kutubu oil lease area managed by Chevron.
Mt. Sisa rises to an elevation of about 2560 meters, from a base
elevation of around 700 meters to the south and around 1200 meters to
the north. The nearest mountains equalling or exceeding Mt. Sisa in
elevation are 45 kilometers distant: Mt. Bosavi (2897 meters high) to
the south and Doma Peaks (4000 meters high) to the northeast. Both Mt.
Sisa and Mt. Bosavi are former volcanoes, now extinct. Other extinct
volcanic mountains nearby include Mt. Murray, Mt. Karimui, and Mt.
Suaru. The mountain forests on tops of these mountains rise like
islands above the surrounding plains and valleys, and above the morning
cloud banks. As far as birds and other animal and plant species
confined to montane forest are concerned, these mountain tops really do
constitute "islands" of montane forest habitat, separated by the "sea"
of surrounding low-elevation habitat in which these montane species
cannot live. Thus, it was interesting to determine which, of the
approximately 100 bird species occurring on PNG's Central Cordillera
(e.g. on Mt. Hagen or on Doma Peaks) at elevations comparable to Mt.
Sisa's, actually do occur on Mt. Sisa.
Our survey took place from October 14 to October 23, 1999. While
based at two tent camps and helipads, one at 1980 meters and the other
at 2380 meters, we spent much of each day walking along trails
radiating from each camp, down to 1840 meters and up to Mt. Sisa's
summit at 2560 meters. We identified bird species especially by sound
(by their songs and calls), and also by sight, using binoculars. We
carried tape recorders and made extensive recordings of birds' voices,
for two purposes: to broadcast back in the forest our recordings of
songs from unidentified birds, often with the result that the singer
flew to us (thinking that our broadcasting tape recorder was actually a
rival bird) and revealed its identity; and to relisten to the tapes
ourselves afterwards, and thereby to recognize the recorded songs for
some bird species of whose presence we had not been aware at the time
that the birds were singing faintly or in the distance. We interviewed
our Huli companions extensively regarding their knowledge of birds, and
regarding bird names in the Huli language. We are grateful to Huli
land-owners for inviting us to their lands, for their help with our
study, and for their patience in answering our seemingly endless
questions about birds.
There is also:
Wheatley, N. (1998). Where to Watch Birds in Australasia and
Oceania. London, Christopher Helm.
Describes almost 150 sites in detail and many more in passing. As with
the other guides in the series its primary aim is to help birders make
the most of their trips, detailing the endemic and `special' birds to
be found at each site as well as the more common and usual species.
West Papua pp. 237-268 PNG pp 332-381.
Robin Hide
Mark Clayton wrote:
G’day Des,
I have a
copy of “Birds of New
Guinea” by Beehler, Pratt and Zimmerman, published by Princeton
University Press in 1986. It could be hard to get hold of as it took me
quite a
while to find a copy. Perhaps if you “googled” the title you may
find one of the bookstores with a copy. If you get totally desperate I might consider lending my
copy!!!
Cheers,
Mark
From:
Des Clark-Walker [m("anu.edu.au","des.clark-walker");">]
Sent: Monday, 18
January 2010
10:40 AM
To: Canberrabirds List
Subject:
[canberrabirds] field
guide to Papua/New Guinea birds?
Hi All,
My wife and I are going to the highlands in
August and would welcome
suggestions for field guides for
this region or for PNG in general?
Des
Research School of
Chemistry
Australian National University
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