Under The Microscope

HANDBOOK OF COMMON NEW ZEALAND BIRDS, by F.C. Kinsky & C.J.R. Robertson, illustrations by Janet Marshall; Reed 1994; 166pp; $17.95

Reviewed by Vicki Hyde

This reissue of the 1987 Handbook will be a welcome addition not only to reference shelves but also to the home library of anyone who's ever had an inquisitive child ask "what bird is that?". Unlike many books dealing with our birdlife, this focuses on those birds you may see in the backyard, from the mynas I disliked in Auckland to the equally annoying magpies in Christchurch.

The paintings are clear and unambiguous, with examples of male, female and immature plumage. The birds are grouped in the same order as in the Annotated Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand. This may be a little awkward for the dabbler in birdlife, as it means that shags and seagulls are not found together as on the shorefront, but are seperated by entries on swans, ducks, falcons, etc. However the book is small enough to flick rapidly through for identification purposes, and an index of common names helps out.

Vicki Hyde is the editor of New Zealand Science Monthly.