Here is a selection of Australian Wildlife books used as reference books for this web site (along with many online resources).
| Author: | Hadoram Shirihai and Brett Jarrett | Title: | "Whales, Dolphins and Seals - A Field Guide to the Marine Mammals of the World" | Publisher: | London, UK : A & C Black, 2006 | Note: | One of these books with a great feel to it. Glossy pages with colour photos on every page, lots of detailed text, world wide distribution maps. Includes otters and polar bears - not sure if they were really needed, but a fine book nonetheless.. | Rating: | 5/5 |
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| Author: | Peter Monkhorst and Frank Knight | Title: | "A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia" | Publisher: | South Melbourne, Victoria : Oxford University Press, 2001 | Note: | A nice compact plastic covered volume covering both land and marine mammals. Good color illustrations and maps with every species, but only about one third to one quarter page of text per species. | Rating: | 4/5 |
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| Author: | Ronald Strahan | Title: | "The Australian Museum complete book of Australian mammals" | Publisher: | Nth. Ryde, N.S.W. : Cornstalk Publishing, 1991, c1983 | Note: | This is a large hardcover book with photos of every species of Australian land mammal. I have used this book as a reference for a lot of the descriptions and distribution maps on this web site. My copy is a bit out of date now - the book was republished in 1996 and renamed as "Mammals of Australia". If you are only going to get one book on Australian mammals the latest revision of this book is the one to get. | Rating: | 5/5 |
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| Author: | Clifford B Frith | Title: | "Garden birds : attracting birds to Australian and New Zealand gardens" | Publisher: | Lane Cove, N.S.W. : Doubleday Australia, 1986 | Note: | Good coverage of common garden birds explaining what garden habitat and food to use to attract birds. Not intended to be a replacement for a field guide. | Rating: | 3.5/5 |
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| Author: | Graham Pizzey | Title: | "A field guide to the birds of Australia" | Publisher: | Sydney : Collins, 1980 | Note: | I have used this book as reference for a lot of the descriptions and distribution maps on this web site. This old edition has separate blocks of pages for the text, the color plates, and the maps are at the back - not very convenient to use. | Rating: | 3/5 |
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| Author: | Joseph M Forshaw | Title: | "Australian parrots" | Publisher: | Landsowne Editions, 1980 | Note: | Large book with beautiful paintings of parrots and cockatoos. Good information about birds in the wild, and also aviary notes. | Rating: | 4/5 |
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| Author: | Peter Slater | Title: | "The Slater field guide to Australian birds" | Publisher: | Dee Why West, N.S.W. : Rigby, 1986 | Note: | Another good compact field. Good painting of birds and eggs. One my oldest and most well-used bird books. | Rating: | 4/5 |
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| Author: | Reader's Digest Services | Title: | "Reader's digest complete book of Australian birds" | Publisher: | Sydney : Reader's Digest, c1986 | Note: | This is one of my favorites. The best all-in-one book on Australian birds I have. Too big and heavy for a field guide but great for the coffee table. | Rating: | 5/5 |
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| Author: | Graham Gow | Title: | "Snakes of Australia" | Publisher: | Angus & Robertson, 1983 | Note: | Another of these small reptile books from Angus and Robertson. There was a series of three - Tortoises, Snakes and Turtles. OK book with nice color photos. | Rating: | 3/5 |
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| Author: | Harold G. Cogger | Title: | "Reptiles & amphibians of Australia" | Publisher: | Frenchs Forest, N.S.W. : Reed, 1983 | Note: | The best reptile book in my collection. I have used this a lot for the reptile descriptions and distribution maps for this site. I must get the latest version as mine is a bit out of date. | Rating: | 5/5 |
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| Author: | John Cann | Title: | "Tortoises of Australia" | Publisher: | Angus & Robertson, 1978 | Note: | Good choice if you want a book with nothing but tortoises. I'd rather have a more comprehensive field guide to all our Reptiles and Amphibians. | Rating: | 3/5 |
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| Author: | Michael J. Tyler | Title: | "Encyclopedia of Australian animals. Frogs" | Publisher: | Pymble, N.S.W. : Angus & Robertson, 1992 | Note: | Part of a series of the National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife. Lots of excellent colour photos. | Rating: | 4/5 |
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| Author: | Stephen Swanson | Title: | "Lizards of Australia" | Publisher: | Angus & Robertson, 1980 | Note: | The third of these small Angus and Robertson reptile books. Has about 100 colour photos. Not a bad little book. | Rating: | 3/5 |
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| Author: | Steve Wilson and Gerry Swan | Title: | "The Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia" | Publisher: | Frenchs Forest, N.S.W. : Reed, 2003 | Note: | This guide has excellent colour photographs. The layout is good with description and maps on left page and photos on right page. The text is a bit brief though - mind you the book is nearly 500 pages as it is.. | Rating: | 4/5 |
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| Author: | Mead & Beckett Publishing | Title: | "Reader's Digest book of the Great Barrier reef" | Publisher: | Sydney : Reader's Digest, c1987 | Note: | A typical Reader's Digest book - glossy pages, lots of photos. Good introduction to the reef. | Rating: | 4/5 |
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| Author: | Rudie H. Kuiter | Title: | "Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia" | Publisher: | Frenchs Forest, N.S.W. : New Holland Publishers, 1996 | Note: | Good modern style guide with description and maps on left page and photos on right page. To fit in the enormous number of species, there are 5 - 8 species on each double page spread, so descriptions have to be brief. | Rating: | 4/5 |
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| Author: | Bert Brunet | Title: | "Spiderwatch : a guide to Australian spiders" | Publisher: | Sydney : Reed New Holland, 2000 | Note: | Quite a good book on spiders. Good colour photos. | Rating: | 3.5/5 |
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| Author: | Charles McCubbin | Title: | "Australian butterflies" | Publisher: | Adelaide, S. Aust. : Savvas, 1985 | Note: | I've had this book for years but haven't used it very much. Now that I'm taking more insect photos I might use it more. Looks to have good coverage of the subject | Rating: | 4/5 |
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| Author: | Michael F. Braby | Title: | "The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia" | Publisher: | Collingwood, Victoria : CSIRO, 2004 | Note: | A fine modern field guide with several colour illustrations for each species, detailed distribution maps and good descriptions. | Rating: | 5/5 |
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| Author: | Paul Zborowski and Ross Storey | Title: | "A Field Guide to Insects in Australia" | Publisher: | Collingwood, Victoria : CSIRO, 2007 | Note: | Hard to do justice to the vast number of moth species in a 200 page book. This book is a good introduction to the large number of moth families. Don't expect to identify many moths to species level from this guide though. | Rating: | 4/5 |
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| Author: | Paul Zborowski and Ted Edwards | Title: | "A Guide to Australian Moths" | Publisher: | Frenchs Forest, N.S.W. : Reed, 2003 | Note: | A good introduction to the orders and main families of Australian insects. Don't expect to identify many insects to species level from this guide though. | Rating: | 4/5 |
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| Author: | Phillip W. Hadlington and Judith A. Johnston | Title: | "An introduction to Australian insects" | Publisher: | Kensington, NSW : New South Wales University Press, 1982 | Note: | Fairly basic book as the title suggests, but a good first book if you are not familiar with the orders and families of Australian insects. | Rating: | 3/5 |
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| Author: | Ramon Mascord | Title: | "Australian spiders in colour" | Publisher: | Terrey Hills, N.S.W. : Reed, 1977 | Note: | I didn't expect much from this little square book, but it a surprising amount of detail and photos. | Rating: | 3.5/5 |
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| Author: | Queensland Museum | Title: | Wildlife of Greater Brisbane | Publisher: | Brisbane : Queensland Museum with Brisbane City Council, 1995 | Note: | A great little book for anyone living in or visiting Brisbane. I must get the updated edition one of these days. | Rating: | 4/5 |
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| Author: | Underhill, David | Title: | "Australia's dangerous creatures" | Publisher: | Surry Hills, N.S.W. : Reader's Digest Services, c1987 | Note: | It's great to live in a country where so many of the animals can kill you, poison you or maim you. Some good stories and photos of our dangerous animals. | Rating: | 4/5 |
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