Birds and Animals of Australia's Top End: Darwin, Kakadu, Katherine, and Kununurra
Birds and Animals of Australia's Top End: Darwin, Kakadu, Katherine, and Kununurra
Nick Leseberg
Iain Campbell
Series: WILDGuides
Copyright Date: 2015
Published by: Princeton University Press
Pages: 272
https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt14jxtgb
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Book Info
Birds and Animals of Australia's Top End: Darwin, Kakadu, Katherine, and Kununurra
Book Description:

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 photographsIncludes concise information on identification and preferred habitat for each speciesProvides a summary of each species' life history, including interesting habits, and suggestions on where to see itOffers valuable tips on searching for wildlife in the Top EndAn essential guide for visitors to the Top End, from Darwin south to Katherine and Kununurra, including Kakadu, Litchfield, Nitmiluk and Gregory national parks

eISBN: 978-1-4008-6600-7
Subjects: Zoology, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, General Science
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  1. Front Matter
    Front Matter (pp. 1-2)
  2. Table of Contents
    Table of Contents (pp. 3-6)
  3. About this book
    About this book (pp. 7-7)
  4. How to use this book
    How to use this book (pp. 8-9)
  5. Maps of the Top End
    Maps of the Top End (pp. 10-11)
  6. Geography and geology of the Top End
    Geography and geology of the Top End (pp. 12-13)

    The ‘Top End’ is a broadly defined area that covers the northern part of the Northern Territory, from the north coast south to a line extending very approximately from Timber Creek across through Daly Waters to Borroloola. Darwin, on the north-west coast, is the largest city in the region and the entry point for many visitors. About 320 kilometres (200 miles) southeast of Darwin is Katherine, the region’s other main population centre. The Stuart Highway runs from Darwin to Katherine and continues south through the Northern Territory all the way to Alice Springs, and is another major route of entry...

  7. Weather and seasons of the Top End
    Weather and seasons of the Top End (pp. 14-15)

    The normal northern hemisphere annual cycle of four seasons is not especially relevant in the Top End. Many residents simply refer to the ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ seasons experienced in most tropical areas, while the Aboriginal people of the Kakadu National Park region recognized six ‘seasons’. Ultimately, the region’s climate is driven by its position relative to the belt of high pressure encircling the globe at a latitude of 30°S – directly over continental Australia. Its position is a result of the earth’s orientation relative to the sun but, importantly, the earth’s rotation around the sun throughout the year causes this...

  8. Habitats of the Top End
    Habitats of the Top End (pp. 16-19)

    The patterns of prevailing climate, water availability, soil type and local topography, as well as a number of other factors, combine to determine the vegetation that grows in any particular area. The physical environment and type of vegetation present are collectively referred to as the habitat and since this influences the animals that may occur in that area, it is helpful for the wildlife-watcher to have an understanding of what the basic habitat types are. The classification of habitats and vegetation types can be very complex, but this section of the book provides a simple breakdown of the main habitats...

  9. How to watch wildlife
    How to watch wildlife (pp. 20-21)

    The fantastic thing about wildlife-watching is that we can all do it, wherever we are. From Darwin’s city centre to the most remote parts of the Northern Territory, there is wildlife everywhere, waiting to be seen. Wildlife can be seen by simply keeping an eye out while you are travelling down the highway, or by taking a short walk, although sometimes an intense search is needed to find a particular species. This section outlines a few simple techniques, and suggests some equipment, that will improve your chances of both finding and identifying not just the Top End’s wildlife, but wildlife...

  10. Where to find wildlife
    Where to find wildlife (pp. 22-23)

    You can watch wildlife practically anywhere in the Top End. Rufous Owls have even been seen hunting flying-foxes along Mitchell Street in the Darwin Central Business District with crowds of late-night revellers partying on the street below. Although a visit to Mitchell Street at night would not be recommended as a good place to start your wildlife-watching adventure, the point is you can do it almost anywhere! Of course some places are better than others for wildlife-watching, and here is a selection of some of the best sites to enjoy the Top End’s wonderful wildlife. More information on all of...

  11. BIRDS OF WETLANDS AND BEACHES
    • Magpie Goose
      Magpie Goose (pp. 26-27)
    • Whistling-ducks
      Whistling-ducks (pp. 28-29)
    • 3 Shelduck, grebe and pygmy-goose
      3 Shelduck, grebe and pygmy-goose (pp. 30-31)
    • Ducks
      Ducks (pp. 32-33)
    • Stork
      Stork (pp. 34-35)
    • Cormorants
      Cormorants (pp. 36-37)
    • Darter and pelican
      Darter and pelican (pp. 38-39)
    • White egrets
      White egrets (pp. 40-41)
    • Dark herons
      Dark herons (pp. 42-43)
    • Small herons
      Small herons (pp. 44-45)
    • Ibises and spoonbill
      Ibises and spoonbill (pp. 46-47)
    • Rails and crake
      Rails and crake (pp. 48-49)
    • Swamphen and coot
      Swamphen and coot (pp. 50-51)
    • Crane and stone-curlew
      Crane and stone-curlew (pp. 52-53)
    • Stilt and oystercatchers
      Stilt and oystercatchers (pp. 54-55)
    • Lapwing and jacana
      Lapwing and jacana (pp. 56-57)
    • Small plovers and turnstone
      Small plovers and turnstone (pp. 58-59)
    • Coastal plovers
      Coastal plovers (pp. 60-61)
    • ‘Grassy plains’ waders
      ‘Grassy plains’ waders (pp. 62-63)
    • Large sandpipers
      Large sandpipers (pp. 64-65)
    • Medium-sized sandpipers
      Medium-sized sandpipers (pp. 66-67)
    • ‘Coastal’ small sandpipers
      ‘Coastal’ small sandpipers (pp. 68-69)
    • Other small sandpipers
      Other small sandpipers (pp. 70-71)
    • Gull + Large terns: 1
      Gull + Large terns: 1 (pp. 72-73)
    • Large terns: 2
      Large terns: 2 (pp. 74-75)
    • Small terns
      Small terns (pp. 76-77)
    • Kingfishers
      Kingfishers (pp. 78-79)
  12. RAPTORS
    • Osprey + Kites: 1
      Osprey + Kites: 1 (pp. 82-83)
    • Sea-eagle and baza
      Sea-eagle and baza (pp. 84-85)
    • Eagle and buzzard
      Eagle and buzzard (pp. 86-87)
    • Kites: 2
      Kites: 2 (pp. 88-89)
    • Goshawks
      Goshawks (pp. 90-91)
    • Falcons
      Falcons (pp. 92-93)
  13. BIRDS OF THE FOREST
    • Scrubfowl
      Scrubfowl (pp. 96-97)
    • Dove and imperial-pigeon
      Dove and imperial-pigeon (pp. 98-99)
    • Fruit-doves
      Fruit-doves (pp. 100-101)
    • Cuckoos
      Cuckoos (pp. 102-103)
    • Owl and nightjar
      Owl and nightjar (pp. 104-105)
    • Pitta
      Pitta (pp. 106-107)
    • Kingfisher, white-eye and honeyeater
      Kingfisher, white-eye and honeyeater (pp. 108-109)
    • Gerygones and triller
      Gerygones and triller (pp. 110-111)
    • Shrike-thrush and whistlers
      Shrike-thrush and whistlers (pp. 112-113)
    • Orioles and fantails
      Orioles and fantails (pp. 114-115)
    • Butcherbird, drongo and flycatchers
      Butcherbird, drongo and flycatchers (pp. 116-117)
    • Robins
      Robins (pp. 118-119)
  14. BIRDS OF OPEN AREAS
    • Bustard
      Bustard (pp. 122-123)
    • Stone-curlew
      Stone-curlew (pp. 124-125)
    • Coucal and quail
      Coucal and quail (pp. 126-127)
    • Cuckoos
      Cuckoos (pp. 128-129)
    • Pigeons: 1
      Pigeons: 1 (pp. 130-131)
    • Pigeons: 2
      Pigeons: 2 (pp. 132-133)
    • Doves
      Doves (pp. 134-135)
    • Owls
      Owls (pp. 136-137)
    • Barn-owl and frogmouth
      Barn-owl and frogmouth (pp. 138-139)
    • Owlet-nightjar and nightjar
      Owlet-nightjar and nightjar (pp. 140-141)
    • Kingfishers
      Kingfishers (pp. 142-143)
    • Bee-eater and Dollarbird
      Bee-eater and Dollarbird (pp. 144-145)
    • Black-cockatoo and Cockatiel
      Black-cockatoo and Cockatiel (pp. 146-147)
    • Cockatoos
      Cockatoos (pp. 148-149)
    • Lorikeets
      Lorikeets (pp. 150-151)
    • Parrots: 1
      Parrots: 1 (pp. 152-153)
    • Parrots: 2
      Parrots: 2 (pp. 154-155)
    • Bowerbird
      Bowerbird (pp. 156-157)
    • Fairywrens
      Fairywrens (pp. 158-159)
    • Grasswren
      Grasswren (pp. 160-161)
    • Small honeyeaters
      Small honeyeaters (pp. 162-163)
    • Medium-sized honeyeaters: 1
      Medium-sized honeyeaters: 1 (pp. 164-165)
    • Medium-sized honeyeaters: 2
      Medium-sized honeyeaters: 2 (pp. 166-167)
    • Large honeyeaters
      Large honeyeaters (pp. 168-169)
    • Miner, pardalote and Weebill
      Miner, pardalote and Weebill (pp. 170-171)
    • Babbler and woodswallows
      Babbler and woodswallows (pp. 172-173)
    • Cuckooshrikes, triller and gerygone
      Cuckooshrikes, triller and gerygone (pp. 174-175)
    • Sitella, shrike-tit and treecreeper
      Sitella, shrike-tit and treecreeper (pp. 176-177)
    • Whistler and shrike-thrushes
      Whistler and shrike-thrushes (pp. 178-179)
    • Butcherbirds, magpie and oriole
      Butcherbirds, magpie and oriole (pp. 180-181)
    • Willie-wagtail and Magpie-lark
      Willie-wagtail and Magpie-lark (pp. 182-183)
    • Flycatchers and robin
      Flycatchers and robin (pp. 184-185)
    • Crow, Apostlebird, bushlark and cisticola
      Crow, Apostlebird, bushlark and cisticola (pp. 186-187)
    • Martins and Mistletoebird
      Martins and Mistletoebird (pp. 188-189)
    • Finches: 1
      Finches: 1 (pp. 190-191)
    • Finches: 2
      Finches: 2 (pp. 192-193)
    • Mannikins
      Mannikins (pp. 194-195)
  15. MAMMALS
    • Echidna
      Echidna (pp. 198-199)
    • Quoll and phascogale
      Quoll and phascogale (pp. 200-201)
    • Bandicoot + Possums: 1
      Bandicoot + Possums: 1 (pp. 202-203)
    • Possums: 2 + Sugar Glider
      Possums: 2 + Sugar Glider (pp. 204-205)
    • Wallabies
      Wallabies (pp. 206-207)
    • Wallaroos: 1
      Wallaroos: 1 (pp. 208-209)
    • Wallaroos: 2 + Rock-wallabies
      Wallaroos: 2 + Rock-wallabies (pp. 210-211)
    • Flying-foxes
      Flying-foxes (pp. 212-213)
    • Microbats
      Microbats (pp. 214-215)
    • Rodents
      Rodents (pp. 216-217)
    • Dingo and Water Buffalo
      Dingo and Water Buffalo (pp. 218-219)
  16. REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS
    • Crocodiles: 1
      Crocodiles: 1 (pp. 222-223)
    • Crocodiles: 2 + Turtles: 1
      Crocodiles: 2 + Turtles: 1 (pp. 224-225)
    • Turtles: 2 + Geckos: 1
      Turtles: 2 + Geckos: 1 (pp. 226-227)
    • Geckos: 2
      Geckos: 2 (pp. 228-229)
    • Geckos: 3
      Geckos: 3 (pp. 230-231)
    • Geckos: 4 + Snake-lizard
      Geckos: 4 + Snake-lizard (pp. 232-233)
    • Skinks
      Skinks (pp. 234-235)
    • Lizards: 1
      Lizards: 1 (pp. 236-237)
    • Lizards: 2
      Lizards: 2 (pp. 238-239)
    • Lizards: 3 + Snakes: 1
      Lizards: 3 + Snakes: 1 (pp. 240-241)
    • Snakes: 2
      Snakes: 2 (pp. 242-243)
    • Snakes: 3
      Snakes: 3 (pp. 244-245)
    • Snakes: 4
      Snakes: 4 (pp. 246-247)
    • Snakes: 5
      Snakes: 5 (pp. 248-249)
    • Snakes: 6
      Snakes: 6 (pp. 250-251)
    • Snakes: 7
      Snakes: 7 (pp. 252-253)
    • Frogs: 1
      Frogs: 1 (pp. 254-255)
    • Frogs: 2
      Frogs: 2 (pp. 256-257)
    • Frogs: 3
      Frogs: 3 (pp. 258-259)
    • Frogs: 4
      Frogs: 4 (pp. 260-261)
    • Frogs: 5
      Frogs: 5 (pp. 262-263)
    • Further reading
      Further reading (pp. 264-264)
  17. Acknowledgements
    Acknowledgements (pp. 264-264)
  18. Photo credits
    Photo credits (pp. 265-266)
  19. Index
    Index (pp. 267-272)
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