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AustralasiaYou need to select a country or province/state in order to view birding hotspots. Please select from the menu on the left. |
| Australasia is a term used to describe a region which includes Australia, New Zealand, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. In area it is the smallest of the seven continents, and other than Antarctica has the smallest population, with less than a ½% of the world’s population living here. Included in the neighbouring islands is Papua New Guinea, located just north of Australia, which is the world’s second largest island. From a biological point of view, Australasia is a distinct region with a common evolutionary history and a great many unique plants and animals, some of them common to the entire area, others specific to particular parts but sharing a common ancestry. The long isolation of Australasia from other continents allowed it to evolve relatively independently, and makes it home to many unique families of plants and animals. | ||||
| There are 18 species of birds in Australasia that are on the world's Critically Endangered List. They are:
Campbell Islands Teal Anas nesiotis For more information on these and other critically endangered birds, log on to the BirdLife International website: http://www.birdlife.org/index.html
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| The current decline and foreseeable dying out of species of birds deeply troubles all birders. In fact 21 species have been lost in the last 30 years alone. At present 189 bird species are on the brink of extinction. The story of each of these birds in admirably told and illustrated in the Birdlife International's Rare Birds Yearbook 2008. Birdlife International is a global partnership of conservation organizations that works to save bird species and their habitats, to protect global biodiversity, and to promote the development of a pattern of sustainability using natural resources. Without the work of Birdlife International, in highlighting the plight of the 189 critically endangered birds, sixteen of these species would probably have died out in the last decade. Each bird species on the critically endangered list is written up in the book, with "Range and Population", "Threats", "Conservation action to date" and "Conservation action required" all thoroughly documented. In many instances, the history of the species is also covered. There are chapters on "Preventing Extinction" and "Ecotourism", as well as a very useful listing of countries where these birds occur. The two hundred and seventy three pages are extremely informative reading. Most bird watchers have collections of bird books; this is one book we recommend be in every birders' home library. Continuing this invaluable work and financing future conservation will take money. Birdlife International has launched a major initiative to raise £19 million over the next five years. By buying this book you will be donating £4 to this cause. Books can be ordered directly from BirdLife International by going to their website http://www.rarebirdsyearbook.com /index.html
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