Book excerpt: Thirty-two common and native New Zealand birds feature 'life size' in this book, pictured against a habitat background. Readers can compare the birds; clear-cut from individual photographs and grouped four or five together on the page, enlarged or reduced to represent their actual size. The full-colour spread of the birds is followed by a second spread that keys the birds to descriptive texts. This is a bright, colourful addition to the bookshelf of every New Zealand child and a useful reference for all those wishing to identify New Zealand birds. The book offers a unique perspective on the native birds of the bush, countryside, coast and rivers, as it is possible to gain an instant visual impression of their size. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rod Morris is a renowned New Zealand natural history photographer, based at the Natural History Unit in Dunedin, and is the author of the bestselling Life-Size Guide to NZ Birds, published in 2002.