Pratt T.K. - Birds of New Guinea (2nd Edition)

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Birds of New Guinea

Second Edition

Thane K. Pratt and Bruce M. Beehler

With editorial contributions by
K. David Bishop, Brian J. Coates, Jared M. Diamond, and Mary LeCroy

Illustrated by

John C. Anderton and Szabolcs Kkay

and

James Coe and Dale Zimmerman

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
PRINCETON AND OXFORD

Copyright 2015 by Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, 6 Oxford Street, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1TW

press.princeton.edu

Jacket illustration by Szabolcs Kkay

All Rights Reserved

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Pratt, Thane K.

Birds of New Guinea / Thane K. Pratt and Bruce M. Beehler; with editorial contributions by K. David Bishop, Brian J. Coates, Jared M. Diamond, and Mary LeCroy; illustrated by John C. Anderton and Szabolcs Kkay and James Coe and Dale Zimmerman. Second edition

pages cm. (Princeton field guides)

Previous edition by Bruce M. Beehler, Thane K. Pratt, and Dale A. Zimmerman.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-691-09562-2 (hardback : alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-691-09563-9 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. BirdsNew Guinea. 2. BirdsNew GuineaIdentification. I. Beehler, Bruce McP.

II. Title.

QL691.N48B44 2014

598.0995--dc23 2014009192

British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available

Recommended citation:
Pratt, Thane K., and Bruce M. Beehler. 2015. Birds of New Guinea, Second Edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA

This book has been composed in Minion and Myriad Pro
Printed on acid-free paper.

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Dedicated to

William J. and Judy Hancock
Will and Judy, formerly teachers at Hawai`i Preparatory Academy, all but adopted Thane from high school onward. Will was instrumental in securing a series of seed grants from the Reid Foundation that allowed us to take the book the quantum leap forward to an entirely new second edition. Their kindness and generosity over the years will always be remembered with much affection. Mahalo nui loa!

Russell and Robert Faucett
Russ and Rob joined the project towards the end, and it was their substantial grants through the Faucett Catalyst Fund that enabled us to complete the book by funding artwork, all the maps, and travel to PNG for artist John Anderton so that he would see firsthand the kaleidoscope world of New Guinea birds. Russ and Rob took considerable interest in the project, and they provided encouragement every step of the way. To them we are deeply grateful.

Linda Pratt and Carol Beehler
For their love and support.

Contents

Preface

Twenty-eight years have passed since publication of the first edition of Birds of New Guinea. In that time, big changes have taken place in this important bird region. The human population has more than doubled, economic developmentparticularly mining and logginghas accelerated, and the loss of habitat has increased proportionately. On the brighter side, vast tracts of wilderness remain, several international conservation organizations have joined forces with local governments to protect the forest, birding as a form of ecotourism has blossomed, and a new generation of field researchers has taken to the bush. Exciting new information on bird distribution and biology has poured in. And as if to heighten appreciation for New Guineas avifauna, modern molecular systematic research has revolutionized the classification of birds and pinpointed New Guinea and Australia as the motherland of the worlds most prominent bird lineage, the songbirds (oscine passerines). In light of these changes, a new edition of