HBW Alive Newsletter

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Nº9, March 2015

Editorial

HBW Alive Ornithological Notes

Although birds are undoubtedly the best-studied animal group, they have numerous species and many live in remote locations, so that in many instances we lack information on basic aspects of the species’ biology, like, for example, what their nests or eggs look like, or what prey items they most often consume. However, current travelling facilities, and the rise in particular of bird watching trips, are allowing increasing contact with those rare species, implying that many birdwatchers have, therefore, good opportunities to record still-unknown data. At the same time, the increasing diffusion of ornithological knowledge means that now it is relatively easy for birdwatchers to realize if their own records may shed light on aspects of the species’ biology still unknown to science, like, for example, if the nest they have recently found in a remote rainforest has been already described or not in the ornithological literature. In this sense, HBW Alive, which is the only online encyclopedia containing information on all species of birds in the world, may represent a unique tool.

But even if someone has made an observation new to science and comes to realize that this is indeed the case, it is possible that for one reason or another he or she would not be resolved to prepare a scientific publication to make it known. Again, we think HBW Alive might play a role in assuring that this interesting data is not lost forever, and, conversely, that it serves to increase what is already known about the birds of the world.

Since its launch two years ago, HBW Alive has provided a mechanism for users to share, if they wish, their most interesting bird observations. This system is what we have been calling "wikicontributions". In HWB Alive you can already consult 27 of these short ornithological contributions, approximately one third of which concern details on the species' ranges and another third are related to details of their breeding biology. Most were spontaneously submitted by HBW Alive users, and afterwards were edited by professional ornithologists. This represents, in our view, a good example of how citizen science can be encouraged and of how personal contributions to an online encyclopedia can be dealt with.

At this time, with our accumulated experience, we are in a good position to propose some improvements to the system. A practical problem that we have found is the frequent confusion arising between “wikicontributions” and “public comments”, the latter representing another way of contributing information to HBW Alive. The essential difference is that wikicontributions should only contain one’s own and unpublished information, while public comments can provide any other type of information of potential interest, including, for example, indications of published papers that have not yet been used in the HBW Alive updating process, or links to internet pages containing interesting news on a species. We’ve thought that perhaps a more explicit name for the wikicontributions would help clarify their role, so we’ve decided to change their name to "HBW Alive Ornithological Notes". We are also preparing recommended citations for these notes, and we plan to insert links to the notes in the relevant parts of the species’ texts. We really hope that these changes may attract an ever increasing number of contributors, both in order to make these notes more appealing for HBW Alive users and to enhance our knowledge on the birds of the world.

Eduardo de Juana
Editor, HBW Alive

In this Newsletter

Enjoy the Recent News on Birds; they are really interesting!
Find out all the families for which we have finished the updating process for all of their “new species” (resulting from splits).
Let us explain to you more about the importance of the Geographic Filter in HBW Alive.
Learn more about the importance of the First Sightings in My Birding.

News on Birds

Speciation in the ‘Collared Kingfisher’ is more extensive than once thought.

The Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris), in which up to 50 subspecies are recognized, had classically been regarded as an excellent example of ‘great speciator’. However, a recent DNA analysis including samples of 22 of those subspecies, as well as 15 additional Todiramphus species, has shown that T. chloris is not a natural group but rather a polyphyletic assemblage in which up to 10 more species are embedded or are minimally divergent, these including for example the Sacred Kingfisher (T. sanctus), Chattering Kingfisher (T. tutus) and Beach Kingfisher (T. saurophagus). Up to 26 different species could be recognized within this group. It appears that Todiramphus kingfishers diversified rapidly very recently, in less than one million years, reaching a very extensive range, and also that multiple instances of secondary sympatry took place.
Photo by David Taylor

Genome sequencing clarifies the evolution of Darwin’s finches and their beaks.

Darwin’s finches, inhabiting the Galápagos archipelago and Cocos Island, have been an iconic model for studies of speciation and adaptive evolution ever since Darwin himself observed their diversity and proposed that they represented divergence from a common ancestry, achieved by adaptation of geographically isolated subpopulations to the different ecological niches found on different islands.

Recent whole-genome re-sequencing of 120 individuals representing all the Darwin’s finch species has revealed important discrepancies with the existing phenotype-based taxonomy. Moreover, some species appear to have arisen in part by introgression, i.e. by hybridisation, and there is extensive evidence for interspecific gene flow throughout the radiation.
Photo by Marco Valentini

A recent phylogenetic analysis of the small New World ground doves (genera Columbina, Claravis, Metriopelia and Uropelia), based both on nuclear and mitochondrial gene sequences, has shown how the evolutionary history of this interesting group is intimately linked to two major recent geological events in America: the Andean uplift and the Panamanian land bridge formation. Using complete species-level sampling for the clade, the phylogenetic analysis resulted in a well-supported tree. Divergence time estimates and historical biogeographic reconstruction indicated a South American origin for the clade, with several speciation events coinciding with either Andean uplift events or the land bridge formation.
Photo by Peter van Zoest

Feral cats versus Night Parrots.

The latest twist in the rather secret story of the Night Parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis) is that a cat-killed individual has been found in an area of arid spinifex country SW of Winton, in W Queensland, close to where John Young photographed the species for the first time in May 2013.

Apparently, according to Queensland government sources, professional marksmen have been employed by a private conservation company to patrol the area at night with spotlights, shooting feral cats (Felis catus) on sight. The programme is funded by mining company Fortescue Metals, whose involvement dates back to the reported discovery of Night Parrots in a mineral exploration area in Western Australia in 2005. However, government agencies have been kept in the dark concerning the whereabouts of Night Parrots in Queensland, and the sites where the species occur are on a privately leased grazing property. Feral cats have long been implicated in the decline of this once widespread species: in 1892, it was reported that ‘numerous’ parrots were killed by cats near Alice Springs. Some observers have noted increases in feral cat populations in recent years in parts of inland Australia. The region around Winton where the parrots occur has been drought-afflicted for several years.

More Recent News on Birds

Brief News

1. In the Italian Alps, disturbance by winter sports apparently increases stress hormone levels in the local Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) population. Concentrations of corticosterone metabolites in droppings were significantly higher in highly disturbed areas. Such disturbance may contribute to population decline since induced stress can alter body condition, reducing resistance to disease. Formenti, N. et al. (2015).
Photo by Fran Trabalon

2. A recent survey of the abundance and distribution of wintering Scaly-sided Mergansers (Mergus squamatus) in China, where most of the population is believed to spend the non-breeding season, has located a maximum of 370–770 birds, only 8–17% of the estimated population. The major concentrations occur in the south-east of the country, mainly in Jiangxi province. Barter, M.et al. (2014).
Photo by Josep del Hoyo

3. The Orinoco Goose (Neochen jubata) is usually described as non-migratory. However, a relatively large breeding population in the middle reaches of the Rio Juruá, western Amazonian Brazil, is only present there during the dry season, from June to October. There the species seems to be dependent on sandy beaches that are flooded seasonally. Endo, W. et al. (2014).
Photo by Andy Emmerson

4. The wild population of the Asian Crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon) has increased and its range has now expanded to 11 counties of Shaanxi Province, China. A simultaneous count in October 2012 at 23 known roosts found 1,090 birds, about twice as many as were found as recently as 2007. Wang, C. et al. (2014).
Photo by James Eaton

5. An experimental study has shown that Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) nestlings reared by Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) hosts alongside the host chicks process ingested food more rapidly than the magpie nestlings, but without decreasing digestive efficiency. In particular cuckoo nestlings ingested more food, gained significantly more weight when food was abundant, and assimilated a higher proportion of the ingested food than magpie nestlings. Soler, M. et al. (2014).
Photo by http://www.iswoodimages.net/

6. The Little Wood-rail (Aramides mangle) has traditionally been considered an inhabitant of coastal swamps and lagoons, although some inland records were known for the Caatinga region. A review of records coupled with ecological niche modeling has shown that, rather than regular ‘to-and-fro’ migrations, this species appears to perform periodical range expansion during the rainy season, to include the Caatinga. Marcondes, R.S. et al. (2014).
Photo by Antonio Silveira

7. A new population of the Ryukyu Scops-owl (Otus elegans) has recently been discovered on Okinoshima (Okino Island), Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. A nest was found there in July 2013 and at least 23 territorial males were estimated for the whole of the island. Okinoshima lies 490 km beyond the previously known northern limit of the species' distribution. Takagi, M. et al. (2015).
Photo by Nigel Voaden

8. The number of records of the Black Eagle (Ictinaetus malaiensis) in southern China has substantially increased during the last two decades, and some former observations had been overlooked, so its current range appears to extend over more than 20,000 km2, reaching as far north as the southern parts of Shaanxi and Anhui, and also including the islands of Hainan and Taiwan.
Photo by Josep del Hoyo

9. Kakas (Nestor meridionalis) reintroduced in Wellington City, New Zealand, take sap from trees in parks, particularly exotic conifers as Cupressus macrocarpa, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana and Cryptomeria japonica, and can become a nuisance there. Charles, K.E. & Linklater, W.L. (2014).
Photo by Rémi Bigonneau

10. A preliminary genetic analysis, combined with differences in plumage and a distinctive flight call, suggests that Anthus spinoletta coutellii may be a separate species. Garner, M. et al. (2015).
Photo by Lars Petersson

11. A recent phylogeographic study suggests that the Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) is paraphyletic with the Mérida (C. meridae) and Apolinar’s (C. apolinari) wrens, while the currently recognized Sedge Wren may comprise at least eight different species. Robbins, M.B. & Nyári, Á.S. (2014).
Photo by Fernando Farias

12. In the city of Leipzig, Germany, Common Blackbirds (Turdus merula) stop foraging later in the evening than those inhabiting nearby forests, most probably due to the availability of artificial light in urban locations. The difference, up to 50 minutes, is greatest during the short days of March, but declines steeply towards the summer solstice. Russ, A., Rüger, A. & Klenke, R. (2015).
Photo by Bojan Bencic

13. The number of winter ring recoveries of European Robins (Erithacus rubecula) of northern origin in Spain has been declining since the 1970s. This implies a northward retreat of the species’ European wintering grounds in Europe, perhaps in response to climate change. Tellería, J.L. (2014).
Photo by Josep Batlle

14. A breeding study of the Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) in Sweden has shown that rainfall during parental care has a negative effect not only on fledging success but also on subsequent parental survival. Öberg, M. et al. (2015).
Photo by Tomica Rubinić

15. Contrary to what was previously known, nestlings of the Fiscal Flycatcher (Sigelus silens) are fed by the male and not just by the female. Sellschop, I. (2015).
Photo by Martin Flack

16. Whenever a primary forest is altered or destroyed opportunities arise for certain species that can thrive in anthropogenic landscapes. This appears to be the case with the Lemon-bellied White-eye (Zosterops chloris) and the Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster), the latter an introduced species, that are expanding their ranges in Sulawesi, Indonesia, where five million hectares of forest were destroyed between 2000 and 2010. Trochet, J.A. et al. (2014).

17. The Collared Crow (Corvus pectoralis) is a poorly known species, near-endemic to China and presently considered Near Threatened. It is therefore encouraging to know that numbers roosting at the Mai Po Nature Reserve, Hong Kong, have increased during 2004 to 2013 —in winter from 36 to 118 individuals and in summer from 81 to 167 individuals.

18. The Near Threatened SE Brazilian endemic Black-legged Dacnis (Dacnis nigripes) has recently (Feb 2015) been recorded for the first time in the state of Bahia, within the privately owned Serra Bonita Reserve, where an adult female was photographed by Ciro Albano et al.. This record considerably expands the species’ known range.

19. A small population of Black-masked Finch (Coryphaspiza melanotis), a South American species currently considered Vulnerable, has been observed since 2008 in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, north-eastern Brazil. The nearest known localities are in Goiás, central Brazil, more than 1600 km to the south-west. Pichorim, M. et al. (2014).
Photo by Thiago T. Silva

Compiled by Eduardo de Juana.
More Brief News on Birds

First Country Reports

The following section lists first country reports around the world. The reports are largely unchecked and their publication here does not imply future acceptance by the corresponding Rarities Committee.

Palearctic

Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus), a first-winter seen and later photographed at Deltebre on 31st December 2014, would be the first for Spain if accepted. The bird has been overwintering there and was still present at the same spot on 2nd March 2015.
Report photo by Mariano Cebolla

Australasian

Spangled Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles tatei), one spotlighted and sound recordings of the song and the alarm call were obtained in lowland forest along the Kali Muyu river, Western Papua (formerly Irian Jaya), on 6th October 2012. It's the first record for the western part of New Guinea and therefore for Indonesia.

Oriental

Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius), a first-summer photographed on 14th April 2013, swimming and in flight, from a boat at Najirgong ferry, Sujanagar, Pabna district, in the Padma River, being the first record for Bangladesh. It's a very rare vagrant for South Asia, where this is only the fifth record, there being a specimen from Kolkata market, and sightings in Rajasthan, Maharashtra in India, and Pakistan.

Merlin (Falco columbarius), one seen from a boat just off the southern tip of Hatiya Island, Noakhali (central coast), on 13th March 2013, is the first record for Bangladesh.

Stout-billed Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina caeruleogrisea), male photographed at Ngura-Gogaili, Bololo (01°26'N, 128°28'E), at 890m in primary forest on limestone on Halmahera Island, on 18th April 2012, is the first confirmed record for the Maluku Islands, Wallacea region.
Report photo by Hanom Bashari

Chinese Thrush (Turdus mupinensis), one photographed in Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh, India, on 13th November 2013, is the first recorded for the Indian subcontinent.
Report photo by Ravi Rajagopal

Chestnut-bellied Rock-thrush (Monticola rufiventris), female photographed at Ramgar, Khagrachari, Chittagong, Hill Tracts on 15th or 16th January 2010 is the first documented record for Bangladesh.

Siberian Blue Robin (Luscinia cyane), female caught in Lawachara NP, Srimangal, on 2nd March 2013, would be the first proven record for Bangladesh.

Hodgson's Bushchat (Saxicola insignis), female photographed in a tea garden near Madhupur Lake, Srimangal, in late November 2007 would be the first documented record for Bangladesh.

Hill Blue-flycatcher (Cyornis banyumas), male photographed in Satchari NP on 22nd November 2013 and present in the same area of forest throughout the remainder of the year is the first confirmed record for Bangladesh.

Chestnut-croned Bush-warbler (Cettia major), one ringed on 16th February 2012 at Pashua Haor is the first record for Bangladesh.

Aberrant Bush-warblers (Cettia flavolivacea), six ringed, five at Pashua Haor during 12th-19th February 2012 and one at Tanguar Haor on 8th March 2013, are the first documented records for Bangladesh.

Grey-sided Bush-warbler (Cettia brunnifrons), one ringed on 24th February 2012 on an island in Tanguar Haor is the first record for Bangladesh.

Large-billed Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus orinus) one ringed on 6th December 2011 at Baikka Beel is the first proven record for Bangladesh. It was first identified by the combination of long bill and long hindclaw, and later confirmed in January 2014 through an assay of cytochrome b.

Sykes's Warbler (Hippolais rama), ringed at Baikka Beel on 7th March 2011 is the first confirmed record for Bangladesh.

Grey-necked Bunting (Emberiza buchanani), male photographed on a small channel in mangroves at Hiron Point, Sundarbans, on 29th November 2012 is the first confirmed record for Bangladesh. This record is considerably east of the normal wintering range, which extends as far as peninsular India, but vagrants have been recorded in Vietnam, Hong Kong and Japan.

Neotropical

Long-trained Nightjar (Macropsalis forcipata), male seen on 23rd september 2014, later photographed on 5th October 2014 at Zanja de Pirapó, Departamento Itapúa, is the first record for Paraguay.

References

Bashari, H. & van Balen, S. (2014). First record of Stout-billed Cuckooshrike Coracina caeruleogrisea in Wallacea, a remarkable range extension from New Guinea. Bull Brit Orn Club 134(4): 302-304.

Hostettler, H. & Smith, P. (2014). Long-trained Nightjar (Macropsalis forcipata) (Aves, Caprimulgidae): first Paraguayan record. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 22(4): 411-413.

Rajagopal, R. & Inskipp, T. (2014). First record of the Chinese Thrush Turdus mupinensis from the Indian Subcontinent. Indian Birds 9(5-6): 155-157.

Reservoir Birds website at www.reservoirbirds.com retrieved on 2^nd March 2015.

Round, P.D., Haque, E.U., Dymond, N., Pierce, A.J. & Thompson, P.M. (2014). Ringing and ornithological exploration in north-east Bangladesh wetlands. Forktail 30: 109-121.

Thompson, P.M., Chowhury, S.U., Haque, E.U., Khan, M.M.H. & Halder, R. (2014). Notable bird records from Bangladesh from July 2002 to July 2013. Forktail 30: 50-65.

Compiled by José Luis Copete.
More First Country Reports

New Books on Birds

The Birds of the Iberian Peninsula

By Eduardo de Juana and Ernest Garcia

The Iberian Peninsula is one of Europe's most ornithologically varied regions offering a host of regional specialities. It includes famous birding hotspots such as the Coto Donaña wetlands, mountainous areas such as the Picos de Europa and the Pyrenees, the Mediterranean cork and holm oak forests of the southwest, the migration crossroads of the Strait of Gibraltar and the steppe-like plains of Extremadura and Alentejo. Large numbers of birders from around Europe visit the region to see this wealth of winged wildlife, but to date there has been no comprehensive regional avifauna in English.

Birds of the Iberian Peninsula is a national avifauna that fills this gap in the ornithological literature. Full-color throughout, the book begins with authoritative introductory chapters covering subjects such as geography, climate, habitats, the history of Iberian ornithology and the composition of the avifauna. The species accounts then cover every species recorded in mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra, including the many vagrants. For each species there is detailed treatment of distribution – with maps of breeding and wintering ranges – habitat selection, population trends, historical and current status, migration and conservation.

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IBC's Video of the Month

Spanish Imperial Eagle

(Aquila adalberti)

A video of a range-restricted raptor: a Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti) arriving to a feeding station and taking a piece of carrion.

El Barraco, Ávila, Castile and Leon, Spain © Josep del Hoyo, 1 February 2015

Watch last month's top-rated videos

IBC's Photo of the Month

New Zealand Storm-petrel

(Fregetta maoriana)

A picture of a Critically Endangered seabird: the New Zealand Storm-petrel (Fregetta maoriana).

Hauraki Gulf, Auckland Region, North Island, New Zealand © Frederic Pelsy, 22 November 2011

See last month's top-rated photos

IBC's Sound Recording of the Month

Short-tailed Swift

(Chaetura brachyura)

A sound recording of Short-tailed Swifts (Chaetura brachyura) calling.

Iracoubo, French Guiana © Patrick Ingremeau, 30 August 2010

News on HBW Alive

New Species from the Checklist Updated

During the last month we finished the updating process for all of the “new species” (resulting from splits) from the families Trochilidae (Hummingbirds), Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles and allies) and Tytonidae (Barn-owls). And we have already started on Cuculidae (Cuckoos).

Check out the updated texts.

Forthcoming Updates

This March we will be working on the updating process for the “new species” (resulting from splits) from the families Alcedinidae (Kingfishers) and Strigidae (Typical Owls).

New Species from the Checklist with Links

Once a “new species” (resulting from a split) has been updated in HBW Alive, we add links to videos, photos and sound recordings to complement the texts. Right now more than 200 of these new species have links.

D’Arnaud’s Barbet (Trachyphonus darnaudii) has been split into three species; the new species are Emin’s Barbet (Trachyphonus emini) and the Usambiro Barbet (Trachyphonus usambiro). Explore them:

D’Arnaud’s Barbet (Trachyphonus darnaudii)

Emin’s Barbet (Trachyphonus emini)

Usambiro Barbet (Trachyphonus usambiro)

The Yellow-eared Barbet (Psilopogon australis) has also been split into three species; the new species are the Black-eared Barbet (Psilopogon duvaucelii) and the Blue-eared Barbet (Psilopogon cyanotis).

Yellow-eared Barbet (Psilopogon australis)

Black-eared Barbet (Psilopogon duvaucelii)

Blue-eared Barbet (Psilopogon cyanotis)

With the new taxonomy there are three “Green Woodpeckers” in the Western Palearctic: the Eurasian, the Iberian and the Maghreb Green Woodpeckers:

Eurasian Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)

Iberian Green Woodpecker (Picus sharpei)

Maghreb Green Woodpecker (Picus vaillantii)

More on the Geographic Filter

One of the most exciting moments when planning an ornithological trip is finding out the new species you might be able to see. It’s an essential point when deciding what places to go and the number of days to spend in each, the species to research before going abroad, etc. The Geographic Filter is the most important tool for achieving these objectives in HBW Alive. The Geographic Filter (see Birds Alive N^º 7) allows you to explore the birds present in one or more countries in an easy way, as only the species present in the countries that you select will be displayed in the Taxonomic Tree, the Family plates, the Species plates, etc.

For example, if you are planning to go to India and Sri Lanka, first you have to filter by those two countries. Imagine that you’re interested in knowing which kingfishers you might see. In the header menu, click on “Families” and in the “English name” field type and select Kingfishers and click “Apply”. You will be taken to the Alcedinidae family page.

If you go to the “Species table” within this family entry, you will find a list of all the kingfishers present in India and Sri Lanka and with just one click you can get to the species account of the kingfisher species that you’re interested in, making it easy to learn more and prepare your trip.

If you’ve previously checked the species that you’ve seen, then the list will also show you a check mark next to the ones that you’ve already seen.

If you want to see the illustrations of the species you might see on your trip, simply click on “Go to the plate of this family” in the right-hand bar of this family entry and you will be shown illustrations of all the kingfishers present in Sri Lanka and India.

If you are interested in finding out all the species that you could see in both localities, in the header menu select “My Birding” and click on “Word list”. You will see that in the “Geographic filter” field you already have India and Sri Lanka. Set the other filters as you wish, including “Global conservation status”, “Country status” and “My sightings. Note that if you have “Yes” marked in “My sightings”, like in the image below, only the species for which you have marked sightings will be displayed.

If you have marked “Any” in these three fields, you will get a list of all the species that can be seen in India and Sri Lanka, including vagrants and introduced species. For every species its status in each locality is shown, with Endemics marked in red.

If you want to print the list, in the header menu select “My Birding” and click on “Printable checklist”. You can customize the checklist by choosing different languages to be displayed, personalizing the columns and deciding if you want the figures, country status and conservation status to be shown, and also if you have checked the species or not. You can even add the number of days of your trip to include a checklist line for each day.

Get the Most Out of My Birding

First Sighting

One of the most frequently asked questions related to My Birding is about First Sightings. First Sightings (a first-ever sighting of a bird species by a birdwatcher) are automatically calculated by the system when you introduce sightings in your Birdlists, based on the date of each sighting.

What should you do if, for example, you see an escaped bird or an exotic bird, or you go to a ringing station or to the zoo and you see a species that you have not seen previously, but you do not want it to count as a First Sighting?

Mark the “captive” box for that bird sighting so it won’t count for the First Sighting calculations. To do so, when you are adding sightings to a birdlist, click on the species name for more information about the species and to include details about the sighting, like the number of birds seen, notes, if it was heard only, etc.

Once you mark the “captive” box, click the green “Save with details” button to finalize the sighting.

If you’ve done this correctly, when you go to the account of that species you will see in the My Birding box that you have this sighting, but not as a First Sighting.

If you want to see all of your First Sightings, in the header menu select “My Birding” and click on “Sightings”. Then, mark the “First sighting” box and click on “Apply”.

And you will get a list of all your First Sightings. You can sort the list by taxonomic order, date, scientific name or common name.

Learn more about creating Trips, Birdlists and Sightings in this tutorial.

New Publications from Lynx

Handbook of the Mammals of the World
Volume 5: Monotremes and Marsupials

Platypus, Echidnas, Opossums, Kangaroos, Koalas, Wallabies, and Wombats – Monotremes and marsupials include a host of animals that have intrigued mammal fanciers for centuries. Monotremes are a very distinctive ancient group of mammals with only a handful of extant species in Australia and New Guinea and marsupials, with roots in South America, likely reached Australia via Antarctica some 50 million years ago. With relatives remaining in America, Marsupials have adapted to an amazing diversity of lifestyles and habitats.

Volume 5 of HMW provides complete coverage of these two important groups of mammals. Lavishly illustrated with color photographs showing different behaviors of all of them, the text contains the latest up-to-date information on all families of Monotremes and Marsupials, both Australasian and American.

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