New Zealand Field Guide

[Brent Stephenson <>]

Hi Jan, and BIRDING-AUSSERS,

 

The one and only field guide needed for New Zealand is that by Heather and Robertson.  There have been various editions, with the most recent I think in 2001.  This is certainly the best for species coverage, illustrations, and information, and is the only one ‘endorsed’ by the OSNZ.  Take a look at the OSNZ website for more details –

 

http://osnz.org.nz/publ.htm#fieldguide

 

Note that as well as the field guide, there is also a hand guide by the same authors.  This is basically just the illustrated plates which have brief descriptions and information on the opposite page.  This makes for a much more field friendly type of book as it is considerably thinner and more lightweight (much of the bulk of the field guide is from the detailed species accounts).

 

For some reason a title search didn’t reveal either at Dymocks, but try the links below to NHBS and Amazon

 

Handguide

 

http://www.nhbs.com/xbscripts/bksrch?r=77833;l=3

 

Field guide

 

http://www.nhbs.com/xbscripts/bksrch?r=45245;l=3

 

and

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0198501463/qid=1065987094/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/104-1858722-4140705?v=glance&s=books

 

Hope this helps, you will probably get similar thoughts from other NZ birders…..

Cheers,

Brent

 

Brent Stephenson

Eco-Vista: Photography & Research + Wrybill Birding Tours, NZ

email

http://www.eco-vista.com and http://www.wrybill-tours.com

 

-----Original Message-----
From: [ On Behalf Of jan england
Sent: Sunday, 12 October 2003 12:09 a.m.
To: birding-aus
Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] New Zealand Field Guide

 

Could anyone tell me the best field guide to get for New Zealand.  There appears to be 3 available.

 

Thanks   Jan