Birds and Animals of Australia's Top End: Darwin, Kakadu, Katherine, and Kununurra

Nick Leseberg, Iain Campbell

Princeton University Press, Jul 14, 2015 - Nature - 272 pages

One of the most amazing and accessible wildlife-watching destinations on earth, the "Top End" of Australia's Northern Territory is home to incredible birds and animals—from gaudy Red-collared Lorikeets to sinister Estuarine Crocodiles and raucous Black Flying-foxes. With this lavishly illustrated photographic field guide, you will be able to identify the most common creatures and learn about their fascinating biology—from how Agile Wallaby mothers can pause their pregnancies to why Giant Frogs spend half the year buried underground in waterproof cocoons.

The Top End stretches from the tropical city of Darwin in the north, to the savannas of Mataranka in the south, and southwest across the vast Victoria River escarpments to the Western Australian border. The region includes some of Australia's most popular and impressive tourist destinations, such as Kakadu, Litchfield, Nitmiluk, and Gregory national parks, and is visited by more than two hundred thousand tourists every year.

An essential field guide for anyone visiting the Top End, this book will vastly enhance your appreciation of the region's remarkable wildlife.

• Features hundreds of stunning color photographs
• Includes concise information on identification and preferred habitat for each species
• Provides a summary of each species' life history, including interesting habits, and suggestions on where to see it
• Offers valuable tips on searching for wildlife in the Top End
• An essential guide for visitors to the Top End, from Darwin south to Katherine and Kununurra, including Kakadu, Litchfield, Nitmiluk and Gregory national parks

Contents

• About this book: 7
• Weather and seasons of the Top End: 14
• How to watch wildlife: 20
• Magpie GooseMagpie Goose: 26
• DucksHardhead Pacific Black Duck and Grey Teal: 32
• Darter and pelicanAustralasian Darter and Australian Pelican: 38
• Small heronsRufous Nightheron Striated Heron and Black Bittern: 44
• RAPTORS: 80
• Eagle and buzzardWedgetailed Eagle and Blackbreasted Buzzard: 86
• FalconsBrown Peregrine Falcons Australian Hobby and Nankeen Kestrel: 92
• Dove and imperialpigeonBrowncapped Emerald Dove and Torresian Imperialpigeon: 98
• Owl and nightjar Rufous Owl and Largetailed Nightjar: 104
• Gerygones and triller: 110
• Butcherbird drongo and flycatchers: 116
• BIRDS OF OPEN AREAS: 120
• Coucal and quailPheasant Coucal and Brown Quail: 126
• 2Chestnutquilled Rockpigeon and Partridge Pigeon: 132
• Barnowl and frogmouthEastern Barnowl and Tawny Frogmouth: 138
• Beeeater and DollarbirdRainbow Beeeater and Dollarbird: 144
• LorikeetsRedcollared Varied Lorikeets: 150
• BowerbirdGreat Bowerbird: 156
• Small honeyeaters Banded Brown Dusky Honeyeaters: 162
• Large honeyeatersBluefaced Honeyeater and Helmeted Silvercrowned Little Friarbirds: 168
• Cuckooshrikes triller and gerygone: 174
• Butcherbirds magpie and oriole: 180
• Crow Apostlebird bushlark and cisticola: 186
• 2Gouldian Longtailed Masked Finches: 192
• REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS: 220
• 1 Northern Snapping Pignosed Turtles and Asian House Gecko: 226
• + Snakelizard Giant Cave Gecko and Burtons Snakelizard: 232
• 2Frilled Lizard and Sand Goanna: 238
• 3 Blackheaded Oenpelli Pythons: 244
• 6Mulga Snake Northern Brown Snake and Northern Death Adder: 250
• 2Giant Frog Northern Dwarf Tree Frog and Rocket Frog: 256
• 5Pale Peters Frogs and Cane Toad: 262

About the author

Nick Leseberg is a native of Australia and a guide for Tropical Birding, which organizes bird and wildlife tours around the world. Iain Campbell is a native of Australia and cofounder of Tropical Birding. He is the coauthor of Wildlife of Australia (Princeton). Campbell and Leseberg are also coauthors of Birds of Australia: A Photographic Guide (Princeton).

Bibliographic information

• Title: Birds and Animals of Australia's Top End: Darwin, Kakadu, Katherine, and Kununurra; Volume 12 of Wildlife Explorer Guides
• Authors: Nick Leseberg, Iain Campbell
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: Princeton University Press, 2015
• ISBN: 1400866006, 9781400866007
• Length: 272 pages
• Subjects: Nature / Animals / Birds; Nature / Animals / General; Nature / Animals / Wildlife; Nature / Ecosystems & Habitats / General; Nature / Regional; Science / Natural History