Author(s): Alan Froggatt

NZ Field Guides

The Story of New Zealand's Unique Birds explores why the remarkable birdlife of New Zealand is subject to so much attention from birders, scientists and the general public around the world. It begins by looking at why New Zealand is such an odd and threatened place and why it's regarded as one of the world's biodiversity hot-spots. Author Alan Froggatt tells the stories of the endemic species that became extinct following early human arrival and after settlement by Europeans - including the various species of moa - and looks at the status of New Zealand's surviving bird species, including the iconic kiwi and Kakapo, assessing their future prospects.