Australian water birds. Ted Schumann. 1982.

Australian water birds make up more than a quarter of the total known species in this country. On the driest continent on earth, over 180 species of water birds are either indigenous or spend part of the year in Australia.

From the humble seagull to the jacana or Lily-trotter, from the fascinating penguin to the well-known pelican, all the birds in this book have a preference  for life on the water or at the water’s edge. Some of these birds feed in the water, some even dive into the water, while others Wade in the shallows. A number of these birds prefer to nest on dry land or in trees, while others nest on floating platforms on the water’s surface. The anatomical features also show a remarkable range of variation.