Published reviews of my books

This new guide is a welcome addition to the Naturalist’s Guide series, extending its coverage of South and South-East Asian butterflies to Australia and its immediate islands. Like the other books in the series, it is aimed at the general naturalist who would like to put a name to most of the species he or she sees, rather than the butterfly specialist who insists on identifying absolutely everything. This limited ambition allows the guide to be light and compact, easily carried in a pocket or stuffed into luggage without adding to the weight. Exclusive use of photographs of living butterflies further adds to its attractiveness to the general reader.

At last count there were 435 species of butterfly in Australia, of which about 300 are described and illustrated in the book. If not comprehensive, this is nevertheless a very good proportion of the whole, especially considering that all the most common species are there. The inevitable downside is that individual entries are short (two species to a page) and space for pictures is limited. This is not so much a fault as a necessary restriction imposed by the format, requiring the author to choose what is included and what is left out. Interestingly, the various books in this series have taken slightly different approaches here.

The present volume uses one or at most two photos to illustrate each species. These are generally of high quality and give a good flavour of the butterfly, even if in many cases it means you only see one surface of one sex. The accompanying text descriptions are surprisingly brief with regard to markings, and unusually for an identification guide give no direct pointers to the separation of similar species. I imagine this is a conscious decision as it is universal – every butterfly is described in itself, without comparison with others – but it does make identification a little bit harder. The superficially similar Large Green-banded Blue (Danis danis) and Small Green-banded Blue (Pychonotis caelius), for example, are nine pages apart without cross-reference, and the Tailed Green-banded Blue (Nacaduba cyanea) comes somewhere between the two – again, without mention of the others. In isolated instances similar species are cross-referenced (the Pencilled Blues, for instance) but there is no attempt to say how they can be distinguished. Text space is saved, but at a cost, in terms of species recognition. The author uses this freed space to describe the caterpillar and pupa of each butterfly (something not done in other Naturalist’s Guides I own) and devotes a big chunk of each species account to habits and habitat. In a real sense, this gives a better overall picture of the species and encourages a more ecological, whole-butterfly approach both to identification and to understanding the butterflies. It does, however, make the book a little less user-friendly for flicking through your holiday photo album and identifying all the snaps.

The book opens with a brief introduction to butterflies, including sections on their evolution, their relation to agriculture as pests and pollinators, and their life cycle, and concluding with a glossary of terms used in the book. At the end of the species descriptions is a useful checklist of all Australian species together with an indication of where they are found. This is a valuable resource, especially in the internet age. If you find a butterfly that seems not to be included in the main pages you can google the related species occurring in your area.

In conclusion, this is a handy and practical guide to most of the butterflies you are likely to see in Australia, easily carried in the field and well illustrated. The novice or casual lepidopterist will find it an excellent introduction to the species, bringing in as it does those useful notes on early stages, habits and ecology. For the serious butterfly-watcher, it will prove inadequate on its own and sometimes frustrating, but is nevertheless an excellent addition to the library with its wealth of photos of living butterflies. At the price, like all the titles in this series, it comes recommended.

Insects are so numerous, not just in the number of species, but also in terms of the number of families, that all too often even keen naturalists give up on getting to grips with insects as a whole. Instead, the common strategy is to focus on a few groups such as butterflies, moths and dragonflies. In countries like Britain other groups which have a manageable number of species and are also attractive such as bees, wasps, hoverflies and ladybirds are also becoming a focus of attention.

Discover the hotspots where Australia’s feathery flocks gather, with this handy guide to 55 locales.

It can happen to anyone. You chance upon a common pigeon, take a happy snap and forget about it. But in the back of your mind, chemicals start firing, neurons start falling into place. At first, you don’t even realise what is happening, and then, before you know it, you’re a full-blown twitcher, lying prone on the edge of a lake, staring through binoculars poised below your brimmed hat. Whichever stage of development you find yourself in, you may be interested in the recently released book, Australia’s Birdwatching Megaspots: The 55 Best Birdwatching Sites in Australia. 

Prefaced with some background information on birds — including their evolution, bird families, birdwatching ethics, behaviour, and a handy diagram (you may know what a beak is, but can you tell me what ‘tertails’ or ‘lores’ are?) — the book then plunges into a state by state breakdown of the ‘megaspots’ of the title. Each state and territory is accounted for; the spots are mostly on or within a few hundred kilometres of the coast. The pages for each megaspot lay out a brief introduction of the place, and key facts about getting there, fees and permits, and facilities; before swooping into the birding ‘tracks, trails and sites’, the key species to be found, and detailed info on habitat, behaviour, and physiology of two birds that appear in the area.

This guide is not light bed-time reading. Its focus is practical; and to that end, it thrives. I can see this book sitting in the glovebox of many a 4×4, to be taken out upon packing up camp. ‘Where to go?’ the driver might ask, and the passenger, flicking through the pages, might say: ‘How about Mallacoota? We’re a chance of a White-bellied Sea-Eagle there’. For the free-roaming, improvising traveller towing a camper, this guide can help give purpose and success to your interactions with the avian population. 

“Australians have a strong affinity with their unique environment and wildlife. I hope this book inspires you to observe Australian birds in their natural habitats and to preserve the areas where they live. Their protection is in our hands and I commend the authors of Australia’s Birdwatching Megaspots for their commitment to conservation.”

“A terrific resource to enjoy Australia’s amazing native birds and the best birding megaspots. Spying on birds is also a great way to help BirdLife protect them – enter your sightings in our birdata app.”

“… this book was a pleasure to read and will sit comfortably within any bird enthusiasts reference library. I found it easy to approach, informative and a glowing tribute to Peter Rowland’s passion for our feathered bower-building friends.”

“The first thing that struck me when I was reviewing this book was the incredible amount of work that Peter has put into his research The text is full of informative and interesting facts, backed with plenty of scientific research. So often, books with this much information are quite laborious to read but this definitely isn’t the case with Peter’s book. As a natural history writer and nature photographer myself, with a special love for birds, this book will be a welcome addition to my collection.”
Michael Snedic, The Victorian Naturalist, June 2009

“Rowland’s Bowerbirds is a worthy addition to the literature on the Ptilorhynchidae, and the colour photographs beautifully capture the engaging nature of these birds. Written in an accessible, readable style, it is an ideal introduction for anyone who wants to learn more about a mesmerizing avian family.”
Laura A. Kelley, IBIS, January 2009

“Overall, this is a widely accessible book on the natural histories, behaviours, and various species of bowerbirds that shall go a long way to attract current interest in this group of birds from birdwatchers, natural historians, and scientists alike.”
Mark Hauber, Ornithological Society of New Zealand journal Notornis, 2009

“This book contains excellent photographs . . . is easy to read and an informative field guide for the bower bird species.”
Robert Skeet, WA Naturalist News, October 2008

“Anyone interested in the bowerbirds will want this book!”
Birdbooker Report 66: Living the Scientific Life

“The first thing that struck me when I was reviewing this book was the incredible amount of work that Peter has put into his research The text is full of informative and interesting facts, backed with plenty of scientific research. So often, books with this much information are quite laborious to read but this definitely isn’t the case with Peter’s book. As a natural history writer and nature photographer myself, with a special love for birds, this book will be a welcome addition to my collection.”

“Rowland’s Bowerbirds is a worthy addition to the literature on the Ptilorhynchidae, and the colour photographs beautifully capture the engaging nature of these birds. Written in an accessible, readable style, it is an ideal introduction for anyone who wants to learn more about a mesmerizing avian family.”

“Overall, this is a widely accessible book on the natural histories, behaviours, and various species of bowerbirds that shall go a long way to attract current interest in this group of birds from birdwatchers, natural historians, and scientists alike.”

“This book contains excellent photographs . . . is easy to read and an informative field guide for the bower bird species.”

“Anyone interested in the bowerbirds will want this book!”