Overview

This work is a history of Australian birding in the 20th century. The emu of the title comes from the 100-year journal of the Royal Australasian Ornithologist's Union, but the text is much more than the history of a society. It encompasses ornithological research in museums, universities, government agencies, CSIRO and community groups, exploring the tensions between amateur and professional in a discipline where exceptional amateur contributions have shaped science. The work details international scientific expeditions and relates stories of adventurous Australians in far flung places - such as Robert Hall and Ernie Trebilcock's 1903 expedition to Siberia, the breeding place for many migratory waders known in Australia in the non-breeding season.

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9780522849875

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Reviews

[Robin's] work reads like the perfect day for bird-watching: crisp, clear, warm and friendly. -- The Mercury Engaging book . . . excellently written. -- Choice 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

Engaging book . . . excellently written. -- Choice

Author Information

Dr Libby Robin, author of Defending the Little Desert (MUP 1998) is an environmental historian with diverse interests. She has worked as a Curator in Environmental History at the National Museum of Australia, as well as holding teaching and research positions at the Australian National University.

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