Mateship with Birds

by Alec H. Chisholm

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Genres: Nonfiction, Birds

200 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Alexander Hugh Chisholm OBE FRZS, also known as Alec Chisholm, was a noted Australian naturalist, journalist, newspaper editor, author and ornithologist.

Reviews

[Ace · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars
I read this one for the 2018 Read Harder Challenge and oh boy, was it boring. You really have to love birds, know which birds are which, know what names they go by. I was having trouble concentrating on anything during a sightseeing trip and decided to try to read this on the long voyage home. It worked well as I could read a chapter at a time, roll my eyes, then move on. It does tie in a lot of Australian Poetry and Songs with the birdlife and it would be a very interesting book for someone who knows a bit about birds already and is interested in their bird calls and lifestyles. Personally, I am now done with Nature Books.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the Edwardian era, A.H. Chisholm was one of Australia's foremost amateur ornithologists, and a pioneering conservationist. Mateship with Birds is a series of essays that he wrote observing Australia's bird life at different times of the year.

Probably the best word to sum this book up would be "quaint". It is written in a prolix, bucolic style typical of Chisholm's time, and laced with grandiose literary allusions. There is very little science here; the book is mostly one man's observations, delivered in a quite anthropomorphic fashion.

I found it useful to have an online bird reference handy, especially since the names of some of the birds Chisholm writes about have changed. What he calls a "soldier bird" is now known as a noisy miner, for example. It's also nice to have some colour pictures to look at while appreciating Chisholm's descriptions.

I doubt that any modern bird-fancier would write such a book, but it still has interest and merit. The final chapter, on the disappearance of the paradise parrot, is a very early call to action on preserving endangered species. In a way, this chapter underscores a sad aspect of this book; many of the species that Chisholm talks about as common are now quite rarely seen; driven away by loss of habitat.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic birding book written by one of the most eminent Australian naturalists. It was somewhat hard going with the flowery language, many poetry and literature references and the old style (often completely unrecognisable) bird names. For these reasons, it gets four stars instead of the five I usually apply to books I like so much that I intend to obtain my own copy to reread and scribble in the margins.
If you don’t already love observing birds, you will want to after finishing this book. Some of the 1920 practices may no longer seem quite ethical, but the love of birds is paramount and the whole book is a charming, if old-fashioned, discourse on their habits and character.
And what of this quote from the final page? “The question arises then, what are the bird-lovers of Australia going to do about this matter of vanishing Parrots? Surely it is a subject worthy of the closest attention of ALL good Australians!”
Indeed. And this was written 100 years ago.

[AB Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published in 1922, Mateship with Birds chronicles A. H. Chisholm’s fascination and obsession with the indigenous birds of Australia, and as an artefact of its time, stands as a serene invitation to others to share in that very fascination. Written in the prose of the day, the text shines, replete with literary references, clever turns of phrase, powerful metaphors and similes, and an erudition starkly missing from much of the writing of today. Indeed, this work functions as a time capsule, stark in its clear representation of another time that seems so far away yet lingers closer in proximity than might appear comfortable.

One important takeaway from the book is his clarion call, almost prescient in its fortitude, that continuing to deplete the habitats of several of the birds described will only lead to a loss of diversity in wildlife. This diversity appears in the distinct birds he mentions, their mating rituals conducted, calls made, nests constructed, and clutches protected, all a symbolic presentation of their majesty and participation as worthy neighbours in the Australian ecosystem. Scribe Publications’ choice to re-publish the book in 2013 serves as a solid reminder that presentations of wildlife from the past can shed transcendent light upon how we might engage with nature and wildlife moving forward. To that end, this text deserves to be considered for what it might teach younger generations about stewardship of the land and various avian species.

4 stars. Easily readable and digestible, this work transports the reader to a time when conservation and stewardship of the land were in vogue and serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining such practices in the 21st Century. I greatly enjoyed this engaging and erudite portrait of how we too can come to experience true mateship with our winged neighbours. It’s a message as relevant to our time as it was in the time it was written.

[♡ venus ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mateship with Birds was a gorgeous (if dense at points) memoir by A. H. Chisholm regarding his experiences in bird watching. It was a really beautifully written book, and the author's enthusiasm is clear, but his writing style is certainly a product of its time (1922!). It was complicated and thick, and while the language used was beautifully descriptive, it became hard to read at points because of the writing style. However, the author's voice is incredibly clear throughout the entire book, and his interest and enthusiasm in birdwatching is one of the highlights of this book. It was a bit hard for me to get through at times, but I can definitely appreciate this book for what it is - an iconic 20th century piece of birdwatching literature that was incredibly impactful to the Australian ornithology scene in the early 20th century. 2 1/2 rounded to 3 stars! ♡

[That woodland girl · Rating 3 out of 5]

🌲Decent and well written
🌲Not very plot driven

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book all about birds and an individual whose passion is encouraging others to love birds. Written in another time, it is now nearly 90 years on, the language, understanding, sensibilities have shifted somewhat but the need to protect our natural environment, appreciate it and pass on a passion remains. The original forward by CJ Dennis is another exceptional piece of writing.

[Doris Raines · Rating 4 out of 5]

This. Is. A. Good. Book. I. Love. Birds. Iam. Not. Shy. To. Say. I. Love. Birds. There. Was. A. Time. When. I. Had. A. Bird. Stocker. He. Would. Come. And. Tap. On. My. Window. Pane. For. Months. He. Became. My. Bff. Even. The. Baby. Birds. O. How. Precious. They. All. Are. Tweet. Tweet.