The Flight of the Emu

A Hundred Years of Australian Ornithology 1901-2001

Libby Robin

The Flight of the Emu tells the story of Australian birding in the twentieth century.

Awards

Winner, Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2003: Science Writing

Opinion

'Libby Robin is well qualified to document this history. . . she does not disappoint, enlivening what might have been a dry discourse with descriptions of key events and personalities in the development of both ornithology and recreational birdwatching in Australia. (Australian Book Review, March 2002)

'[Robin's] work reads like the perfect day for bird-watching: crisp, clear, warm and friendly.' (The Mercury, 1 December 2001)

About this Title

The Flight of the Emu tells the story of Australian birding in the twentieth century.

The Emu is the journal of the former Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union, now known as Birds Australia. In this engrossing book, Libby Robin describes the achievements and the increasing importance of ornithology in Australia-both amateur and professional-over the past hundred years.

From Bass Strait to the Kimberley, collectors have searched for and identified hundreds of species of Australian birds. This is a discipline in which exceptional amateur contributions have helped to shape science. Libby Robin explores the tensions between amateur and professional ornithologists, and discusses issues of conservation and environmental management, scientific collecting, smuggling and bird protection. She tells stories from campouts, expeditions and congresses derived from oral history, letters and 'reading between the lines' of published reports.

The search for the Night Parrot, the protection of the Lyrebird, the identification of the Noisy Scrub-bird, have all involved enthusiastic bird lovers as well as scientists. Ornithological research takes place in museums, universities, government agencies, community groups and the CSIRO. Bird-banding has introduced many people to the passion of ornithology, as well as providing a method of valuable data-collection about birds.

The Flight of the Emu also details international scientific expeditions and the influences of Australian birds on international debates.

'Birdos' have a great sense of humour, and the pleasure and fun of bird watching, whether it be serious scientific observation, 'twitching' or just a relaxing hobby, comes through strongly in this clear, friendly and richly-illustrated book.

Table of Contents

Preface: A Century of Ornithology in Australia

1 A National Ornithological Union: Birds and the Australian National Interest
2 From Bass Strait to the Kimberley: Collectors, Collections and the Ornithological Discovery of Australia
3 What's in a Name? Gregory Mathews and the 1926 Checklist

Searching for Night Parrots
4 An Improving Science: Education, Protection and the Collecting Controversy
5 Beyond Marlo: Conservation and Ornithology Reunite
6 Migratory Paths and Life Histories: A National Bird-branding Scheme

Living with Lyrebirds
7 New Ornithology Professionals: CSIRO, Museums and Universities in the Post-war Era
8 The 1968 Revolution: Confrontation and Change at the RAOU
9 Going International: The International Ornithological Congress of 1974

Australian Ornithology: A Noisy Scrub-bird's View
10 Bird Observing: Field Guides, Atlases and Observatories
11 Conservation in the Age of Biodiversity: Science, Community and the Environment
12 The State of the Art: A Resurgent Partnership

Epilogue

Appendices
1 People of the Century in Australian Ornithology
2 RAOU/Birds Australia Officers 1901-2000
3 RAOU/Birds Australia Staff 1976-2000
4 Australian Ornithological Journals and Newsletters
5 RAOU/Birds Australia Congresses and Camp-outs
6 RAOU Honour Roll--World War One

Notes
Bibliography
Index

About the Author

Libby Robin, author of Defending the Little Desert (MUP, 1998) and co-editor of Ecology and Empire (MUP, 1997), is Research Fellow at the Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies at the Australian National University. She has also worked as an environmental historian at the National Museum of Australia, the University of London, the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University. You can visit the author's web site - cres.anu.edu.au

Birds Australia, the national organisation for the conservation, study and enjoyment of Australia's native birds and their habitats, approached Libby to write a history of the discipline of ornithology in Australia in conjunction with their centenary in 2001. Research for The Flight of the Emu was supported by grants from the National Council for the Centenary of Federation (History and Education Programme) and from the Norman Wettenhall Foundation.