Our backyards are the places where children first learn to observe and experience the unique environment that Australia offers. Birds that visit these spaces are many and varied and are an important part of learning about our wildlife.
Myke Mollard has taken a state-by-state approach in his account of the birds that can be found in our backyards. He makes the point that urban development has removed habitats and created different ecosystems, but some birds thrive in our cities and frequent our homes throughout the land wherever they may be.
There are many many birds illustrated and written about here. The format varies but tends to have a magnificent illustration on one page faced by dense text on the opposite side. There are also double page spreads with closeups of particular birds.
Mollard introduces a topic be it Urban Skylines, Attracting Birds to Your Yard, Nocturnal Yards, Rare & Endangered Birds highlighted in a bold font, followed by several paragraphs of discussion and explanation. This works quite well. Each state is given a double page spread where the main backyard birds are illustrated all together with a list and identification guide on the opposite page.
He has a chatty style and includes short paragraphs on general topics that apply to the whole country such as a state’s invasive species, an iconic bird, where the rainforest meets concrete, and more. There is no contents page or index both of which would have been helpful. The front and back endpapers are information rich covering birds of prey, migratory pathways, a map showing landscape, bird beak design and migratory waystations.
This book would be a great gift for any bird lover and an asset in any school library.
Our backyards are the places where children first learn to observe and experience the unique environment that Australia offers. Birds that visit these spaces are many and varied and are an important part of learning about our wildlife.
