Matthew Sheather’s Reviews > A Guide to the Creatures in Your Neighbourhood > Status Update

I got told an interesting story about a Brush-turkey, which inspired me to write this. Isn’t it so cool that these strange birds look like little dinosaurs. The male creates a mound out of leaves and it self regulates itself (the mound thru a decomposition process) to keep at the right temperature for the eggs!!

I already knew how essential pollinators were to our ecosystem, this chapter dives into it and mentions that sea grass is declining similarly to collar reefs and rainforests. I didn’t know how vital of a role it plays, storing more than twice as much carbon than ecosystems on land!

Guides to Cockatoos: It’s so interesting to read about how there is 21 species of Cockatoos. It’s amazing how intelligent they are and that they have social learning between their flocks, e.g. The behaviour of flipping bin lids open!!

Taking this book slowly to try and enjoy it as much as possible. It was such a great experience to take in this book while on a week away to Barrington Tops. I’ve noticed my curiousity growing on the native species of animals around me and the place they call home.

I really appreciate how the book dives into the urban field naturalists roots in colonialism. Also how important it is to preserve native life as it is, whilst taking an ethical approach to collecting land sampling native flora and fauna.

I’m so keen to get into another special interest of mine. This lovely book has an illustration of native Australian animals on every second page!