Birds of Kangaroo Island

Book excerpt: Regional bird field guides are few and far between in South Australia and Chris Baxter's photographic guide to the birds of Kangaroo Island is the stand-out in this genre. This comprehensive account covers all 267 bird species recorded on the Island or offshore over the seas. It builds on the annotated list produced by the same author in 1989 and revised in 1995. The photographs provided by some of Australia's most highly regarded photographers beautifully illustrate the detailed descriptions of the birds, their habits, habitats, breeding, status, abundance and distribution on the Island. In addition there are recommendations on where to look for each species, with cautions about not getting too close to endangered birds and their nests. Chris Baxter has called on a lifetime of bird watching on Kangaroo Island and observations from visitors and residents to present an attractive field guide that is a must for all birdwatchers from casual observers to serious ornithologists.