Australian FGs, which one(s) should I take along? (1 Viewer)

Well, the topic of Australian fieldguides has been discussed before. My interest in this bird fauna has been a very long one and I, therefore, have bought a field guide every now and then, without a real chance to use them in the field at the time. I will now visit the country for the first time, and my question is which of my books should come along. Basically I have three books to consider; I have an even older two-volume Slater set which I certainly won't use.
Here are the (other) books I presently own:

- Simpson & Day 2nd edition 1986
- Slater FG revised edition 1989 (1992 reprint)
- Pizzey & Knight reprinted and updated edition 2001

I know there are more recent editions and there is at least one other worthwhile book. But, having these three, I think I should get along with at least one of them. I must admit that I like the plates in all three, but I have no way of judging their accuracy. Of course, they differ somewhat in the sequence of species, and I am sure newer versions will add to my confusion. Oh why do taxonomists have to f..-up the well familiar sequence :C ? I say that as a biologist, but for me, a sequence in a book must not have to follow the latest scientific insights (or fads?). It should simply be practical. Any new species or splits can still be added as necessary.

I feel that the only reason to buy another field guide for this trip would be if names or ranges had changed considerably, or if there are so many new ways to determine tricky species. I must add, that I know I will miss many IDs anyway, being that unfamiliar with this bird fauna. At present, I think it probably makes most sense to carry the (actually too heavy) Pizzey & Knight book. Plus, possibly, the nicely compact Slater. Or is that one simply too much outdated? I will have to be very weight conscious for the flights this time. Thanks for opinions of those who know these older editions, in particular.

The best single guide for a visitor is Morecombe. Of the three you have, pick Pizzey for sure. You get illustrations the equal of any, the best text of any Australian field guide, and good, detailed verbal descriptions that can often help with ID.

I don't think the changes since 2001 are significant enough to worry about - or, for that matter the changes since 1986. Slater's old version (which you have) and the current version are not actually very different (I have them both). Unfortunately, that's more a reflection on the dated current edition than it is on the slightly more dated old edition: in either one you will struggle to find things unless you are only familiar with the very strange ordering used in Slater. On the other hand, Slater's introductions to each group of birds are really useful when you are not familiar with them.

It's a pity you are arriving in the north and not getting south until later: otherwise you would be welcome to have my battered but usable first edition of Morcombe (2000) - I'm due to get a new one soon enough anyway before this one falls apart.

I took Pizzey & Knight and Morcombe last time. Pizzey & Knight was with me all the time (you get used to its size, although I occasionally left it in the car if I was birding within a five minute walk of the car). The Morcombe was left at home/hotel and used (very rarely) as a back up in the evenings, but I'm referring to the full-size version, not the pocket-sized one which Tannin may be referring to.

E

Nope. Full-size version, Edward. I like to have the full text. Hell, I'd take HANZAB with me if I could!

Tannin said:

Nope. Full-size version, Edward. I like to have the full text. Hell, I'd take HANZAB with me if I could!

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Thank you, Tony and Edward. Looks like I'll concentrate my activities around Pizzey & Knight, then. That is, I'll compile my own checklists following that sequence. I'm known to be a bookfreak, so I may most likely end up with Morecomb as well once I'm in the country. Are the plates of the two editions the same?

I didnt want to open a new topic for this, but does someone actually have the new edition of the Pizzey guide to australian birds?
More info here:
http://www.andrewisles.com/AndrewIsles/search.cfm?UR=26112&ss=d&rtd=50&tbn=11

Morcombe released a compact guide in late 2004.

It's the guide that goes everywhere with me. Although I have all but Slater. I find a combo of Morcombe and Pizzey the best.

Hey Swissboy,
I would seriously consider taking Slater along with you, its a good second reference and will be the one that end up in your back pocket. I use that one the most, whilst my girlfriend uses the latest Simpson & Day (7th or 8th edition, not sure) which I think is also excellent (seems to portray the birds as you see them), but has to be carried in a bag, or is usually left in the car.

I've got the latest Pizzey & Knight which came out this year I think. Its pretty good, growing on me. I have Morcombes under the seat in one of the cars, but it never gets used, I don't find it works for me.

Go for Pizzey & Knight but don't forget the Slaters.. If you choose to buy one, I recommend the latest Simpson & Day, or Pizzey if you must.

If you happen to be around Canberra, let us know, might be able to show you about.

Damien (grew up in Neuchatel).

swiss7 said:

Hey Swissboy,
I would seriously consider taking Slater along with you, its a good second reference and will be the one that end up in your back pocket. I use that one the most, whilst my girlfriend uses the latest Simpson & Day (7th or 8th edition, not sure) which I think is also excellent (seems to portray the birds as you see them), but has to be carried in a bag, or is usually left in the car.

I've got the latest Pizzey & Knight which came out this year I think. Its pretty good, growing on me. I have Morcombes under the seat in one of the cars, but it never gets used, I don't find it works for me.

Go for Pizzey & Knight but don't forget the Slaters.. If you choose to buy one, I recommend the latest Simpson & Day, or Pizzey if you must.

If you happen to be around Canberra, let us know, might be able to show you about.

Damien (grew up in Neuchatel).

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Australian FGs remain an interesting topic. I just returned from 12 weeks in that area. In the end, I only took Pizzey & Knight with me. Would have loved to have the new edition, which I did not encounter. As I did not know about a new edition, I did not specifically search for it. I only encountered the older edition in the few National Park stores I visited. Several times, I had looks at and into both Morecombe guides. But those pictures really put me off. They remind me of illustrations of more than 40 years ago in a European FG. And the text is clearly less informative. The range maps, however, are clearly superior to the book I had along. But other than that, I felt that the book I had fulfilled its purpose remarkably well. It did less well on the two outlying islands I visited (Lord Howe and Christmas). It is definitely not complete for those areas, but - who knows - maybe the new edition is? But then, the missing parts for the bird fauna of those islands can easily be filled locally.

zoltannemeth said:

More info here:
http://www.andrewisles.com/AndrewIsles/search.cfm?UR=26112&ss=d&rtd=50&tbn=11

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I wonder about this new edition: The description talks about 46 new species, and at least one of the plates shown is different from my edition. However, the further description has the same numbers as on the back of my book: 778 species, 250 plates, 2500 portraits. And the number of pages seems unchanged as well. Can someone who knows both editions tell us a bit more about the new book?

The new Pizzey and Knight (a) adds a number of vagrants added to the Australian list in recent years - generally those that have turned up more than once (b) covers species found on Lord Howe and Norfolk islands that weren't covered in previous editions and (c) adds a few splits that are going to be reflected in the new Australian checklist coming out in the new year (including albatrosses).

As far as the splits are concerned generally the plate is unchanged as the relevant bird was previously illustrated as a subspecies - it's the text that has changed.

Tannin said:

Nope. Full-size version, Edward. I like to have the full text. Hell, I'd take HANZAB with me if I could!

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Been there, done that. It was how I IDed my first pectoral sandpiper (Pizzey&Knight, Simpson&Day and HANZAB all in the car at Werribee). But as an experienced watcher of Australian birds, my preference these days is to use Morecombe (I find the in-picture text really useful), then a close second to Pizzey & Knight.