A review of "Atlas of Rare Birds" by Dominic Couzens
This is a popularized and relatively educational book
about rare birds from all four corners of the world. Due to the large format
and color photos, it can also be used as a coffee table book to impress friends
and family. Somewhat surprisingly, the tone of the author is witty rather than
somber. Is he British?
Most birds threatened by extinction have been put in that unenviable position by environmental destruction, logging, hunting or mass tourism. One example is the Grenada Dove, which is threatened by development plans to turn its natural reservation into a tourist resort with 200 villas, 100 other hotel units and an 18-hole golf course. Other birds are under threat for more unusual reasons. The chicks of the Tristan Albatross, which nests at the isolated Gough Island in the South Atlantic, are relentlessly attacked and dismembered by feral rats, inadvertently introduced to the island during the Age of Discovery by European sailors. The White-Headed Duck, found in Spain and Central Asia is racing towards extinction since its females prefer males of another species, the Ruddy Duck of North America, which has been introduced in Europe by man. A massive program of culling has so far been unsuccessful.
Apart from chapters on threatened birds, the author has also included more “up beat” sections on mystery birds and recent discoveries. The Nechisar Nightjar is so far only known from one wing of a road killed specimen found in Ethiopia in 1990. The Udzungwa Forest Partridge was “discovered” in 1991 in Tanzania by four Danish scientists who were literally about to consume it before they realized that they were munching on an unknown species. Apparently, the bird's feet, sticking out of the pot, gave the game away (pun intended). In contrast to the Nechisar Nightjar, however, real live specimens of this delicious fowl have been found, so I suppose the feast can continue…
The most famous “mystery bird” is the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, but the Night Parrot in Australia is more elusive, only being seen about 50 times during recorded history, most of the observations clustering in the 1880's. The Night Parrot is often described as “the holy grail of Australian birding”.
I admit that this volume was simultaneously both interesting, sobering and entertaining, so I hereby give it the high five!
Most birds threatened by extinction have been put in that unenviable position by environmental destruction, logging, hunting or mass tourism. One example is the Grenada Dove, which is threatened by development plans to turn its natural reservation into a tourist resort with 200 villas, 100 other hotel units and an 18-hole golf course. Other birds are under threat for more unusual reasons. The chicks of the Tristan Albatross, which nests at the isolated Gough Island in the South Atlantic, are relentlessly attacked and dismembered by feral rats, inadvertently introduced to the island during the Age of Discovery by European sailors. The White-Headed Duck, found in Spain and Central Asia is racing towards extinction since its females prefer males of another species, the Ruddy Duck of North America, which has been introduced in Europe by man. A massive program of culling has so far been unsuccessful.
Apart from chapters on threatened birds, the author has also included more “up beat” sections on mystery birds and recent discoveries. The Nechisar Nightjar is so far only known from one wing of a road killed specimen found in Ethiopia in 1990. The Udzungwa Forest Partridge was “discovered” in 1991 in Tanzania by four Danish scientists who were literally about to consume it before they realized that they were munching on an unknown species. Apparently, the bird's feet, sticking out of the pot, gave the game away (pun intended). In contrast to the Nechisar Nightjar, however, real live specimens of this delicious fowl have been found, so I suppose the feast can continue…
The most famous “mystery bird” is the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, but the Night Parrot in Australia is more elusive, only being seen about 50 times during recorded history, most of the observations clustering in the 1880's. The Night Parrot is often described as “the holy grail of Australian birding”.
I admit that this volume was simultaneously both interesting, sobering and entertaining, so I hereby give it the high five!
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