Under The Microscope

RARE AND ENDANGERED NEW ZEALAND BIRDS, by Peter Gaze; Canterbury University Press, 1994; 80 pages; $19.95

This handy guide to some of New Zealand's most endangered birds would make a worthwhile resource for libraries, anyone wanting to know more about New Zealand's threatened wildlife, general information for bird enthusiasts and for those from overseas who want to know a little about some of the problems of our native fauna. Secondary school libraries should have a copy. It would also be a valuable resource for those involved in eco-tourism or for those running home-stay type accommodation, especially in tourist areas.

The slim volume covers 16 birds including the little spotted kiwi, takahe, kaka, black robin, black stilt and kokako. Each bird is assigned one chapter covering about four pages per bird including illustrations. Each chapter starts with a short introduction about the classification of the bird and where it fits in with its near relatives, leading on to the ecological situation that has lead to its present threatened circumstances. Other information includes conservation efforts in various parts of New Zealand, the effect and cause of habitat loss and other influences such as predation. There then follows a description of management practices, as well as information on where best to see these animals. The overall emphasis is on the distribution changes of the birds, and the efforts being made to build up the various populations.

Written for the layman, the book is an easy read and has plenty of illustrations. The simple use of small maps to indicate where the birds are located in New Zealand is a good idea, as is a short section on how to make a practical contribution to the conservation efforts. Another sensible idea is to place all the scientific names for the species mentioned in an appendix at the end so that the lay reader is not distracted by jargon.

Greg Walker, NZSM