The book covers 98 endemic, native, introduced or migrant bird species from all the main habitats. Nine identification habitats feature four similar-looking birds with simple tips for telling them apart. Each bird receives a code from 1-100, indicating how easy the bird is to find. Exquisite colour paintings by Dave Gunson cover a greater level of detail, for example, the very strikingly different juvenile forms or male/female differences, etc. There are also distribution maps for each bird.
Accolades
Shortlisted for New Zealand Post Children's Book Award: Non-Fiction Award 2002.Shortlisted for Montana New Zealand Book Awards: Environment Category 2002.
Author Biography
Andrew Crowe is a full-time author with a special interest in helping make nature accessible to beginners of all ages. He has written over 40 nature books covering seashells, insects, spiders, birds and other animals and plants. Andrew has won five New Zealand book awards, including the Ashton Wylie Award for a biography for teenagers on the Dalai Lama and - for his contribution to children's literature generally - the Margaret Mahy Medal.