There are over 10,000 types of birds around the world, but this beautifully illustrated book focuses on 34 birds found in the backyards of Aotearoa. Some are usually found in only specific areas, but most are common right across the country from cities to paddocks.

We have many beautiful native birds but many of our birds were introduced from other countries over 100 years ago. One species arrived in a storm!

NZ has its own owl, not large and white like Harry Potter’s Hedwig, but small and brown with white flecks on its silent wings – perfect for night time hunting. One of our native birds has two voice boxes and can sing with ultrasonic notes so high, humans cannot hear them!

There are clever birds who can recognise human faces, or can compete in races. One small bird can drink from a river and fly at the same time.

In different ways, many birds help new plants to grow. One eats native tree fruits whole then poos out the seeds somewhere else. Others pig out on pollen, getting their faces covered in it. When they go to another tree, the pollen from their ‘dirty’ face, mixes with other flowers.

Would you like to see more birds in your garden?  There are great idea on the last pages to help you achieve that.

With many of the birds in this book in my own garden, I was surprised by many new (to me) facts shared in the pages of New Zealand Backyard Birds. I will definitely look closer at sparrows. Are they a house sparrow or a hedge sparrow? (Also know as a Dunnock)

This is not just a list of birds you might find in your garden, as early pages begin with the very first bird who came from the dinosaurs. Record breakers are shown, parts of a bird explained and nesting habits explored.

I love the way birds are depicted in action, within the illustrations. Flying, nesting, hatching or hunting, birds come to life on the page.

Available in Hardback and Paperback.

With both Māori and English names for many birds given, I’m definitely going to try calling birds by their correct Māori names from now on.

Author / Illustrator – Ned Barraud

Age – 7+ (Non-Fiction)

Learn more about Ned Barraud here

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(2021, Potton & Burton, NZ, Aotearoa, New Zealand, Native Birds, Introduced Species, Bird life, Backyards, Around our home, Māori names, Non-Fiction, Collection of Birds)