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Associations between escape behaviours of birds approached by humans and life history traits differ between continents. This suggests environment and history have shaped the evolution of escape at the continental scale. We compared the escape behaviour of birds between eastern Australia (relatively low density and shorter history of human presence) and eastern Africa (high density and substantially longer history of human presence), in relation to life and natural history traits known to influence escape behaviour. We examined associations between flight initiation distance (FID) and life and natural history variables, using phylogenetically controlled analysis and model selection procedures, for 9372 FIDs from 516 bird species. Overall, African birds had shorter FIDs than Australian birds; however, this difference was only observed among nonmigratory (resident) species. Migratory birds showed no continental level differences in FIDs. Across continents, birds in 'wetland' and 'treed' habitats both had significantly longer FIDs than birds in 'scrub' habitats. Diet and social traits (cooperative breeding and flocking) did not significantly influence FID. The relationship between body mass and FID was positive for Australian birds but not so for African birds. This study (1) suggests that resident eastern African birds are more tolerant of humans and (2) supports the contention that some principles regarding escape behaviour of birds might represent universal patterns (e.g. longer FIDs in open wetland habitats), others (e.g. longer FIDs in larger birds) vary geographically or with habituation, perhaps in relation to the history of cohabitation between humans (and other predators) and birds. • We analyse 9372 avian flight initiation distances (FIDs) in Africa and Australia. • Resident African birds had shorter FIDs than resident Australian birds. • No difference in FIDs in migratory species occurred between continents. • Longer FIDs were associated with larger body mass in Australia but not Africa. • Birds in wetland and treed habitats both had longer FIDs than birds in scrub. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The honeyeaters are the most species-rich clade of birds east of Wallace's Line. They occupy a wide range of habitats, from desert to rainforest, and occur throughout Australia, New Guinea, and oceanic islands across Wallacea and the Pacific. Honeyeater natural history is well characterised, but comparative studies of this group are hampered by the lack of a well-supported phylogeny. Here, we infer the first genome-scale, genus-level phylogeny of the honeyeaters using 4397 ultraconserved elements from 57 species. We analysed the data using concatenated and species-tree approaches, and we found support for novel clades previously undetected in analyses of single- or multi-locus datasets. Despite sequencing thousands of loci, phylogenetic relationships of the New Caledonian Crow Honeyeater (Gymnomyza aubryana) remain equivocal. This study provides a new phylogenetic framework from which to study the ecology and evolution of one of Australasia's most iconic avian clades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southwest Australia (SWA) is a global biodiversity hotspot and a centre of diversity and endemism for the Australo-Papuan myobatrachid frogs. Myobatrachus gouldii (the turtle frog) has a highly derived morphology associated with its forward burrowing behaviour, largely subterranean habit, and unusual mode of reproduction. Its sister genera Metacrinia and Arenophryne have restricted distributions in Western Australia with significant phylogeographic structure, leading to the recent description of a new species in the latter. In contrast, Myobatrachus is distributed widely throughout SWA over multiple climatic zones, but little is known of its population structure, geographic variation in morphology, or reproduction. We generated molecular and morphological data to test for genetic and morphological variation, and to assess whether substrate specialisation in this species may have led to phylogeographic structuring similar to that of other plant and animal taxa in SWA. We assembled sequence data for one mitochondrial and four nuclear DNA loci (3628 base pairs) for 42 turtle frogs sampled throughout their range. Likelihood phylogenetic analyses revealed shallow phylogeographic structure in the mtDNA locus (up to 3.3% genetic distance) and little variation in three of the four nDNA loci. The mtDNA haplotype network suggests five geographically allopatric groups, with no shared haplotypes between regions. These geographic patterns are congruent with several other SWA species, with genetic groups restricted to major hydrological divisions, the Swan Coastal Plain, and the Darling Scarp. The geographically structured genetic groups showed no evidence of significant morphological differentiation (242 individuals), and there was little sexual size dimorphism, but subtle differences in reproductive traits suggest more opportunistic breeding in lower rainfall zones. Call data were compared to sister genera Metacrinia and Arenophryne and found to be highly conservative across the three genera. Like many taxa in SWA, topographic variation and Plio-Pleistocene arid fluctuations likely were historic drivers of diversification in M. gouldii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article centers on representations of Elizabeth Gould's artworks for "The Birds of Australia," a seven-volume natural history of Australia's birdlife, featuring 600 hand-coloured lithographic plates. It discusses the limitations of representations of Elizabeth which overemphasise her relation to her husband John as assistant and wife. It also studies the critical reception of Elizabeth's artworks for "The Birds of Australia."

The 14 major bird collections in Australia (10) and New Zealand (4) together hold half a million specimens, including 275 000 from Australia and 115 000 from New Zealand. Six large collections in Australia, and two in New Zealand, each hold at least 30 000 birds. The largest single collection (Australian Museum, Sydney) has 78 000 birds. Overall, study-skins are the most common form of preparation (47%), followed by eggs (20%). However, for New Zealand collections alone, fossil bones are the biggest single category (56%) reflecting that country's remarkable Holocene fossil record of birds. Taxonomically, the best-represented group in the Australasian collections is the order Passeriformes, followed by Anseriformes, Procellariiformes, Psittaciformes, Charadriiformes, Columbiformes, Falconiformes, and ratites (Ratitae). Most birds in Australasian collections (81%) are from Australia or New Zealand, followed by 27 000 specimens (6%) from the south-west Pacific (islands of Polynesia and Melanesia, including New Guinea). The Australasian collections are managed by a total staffing complement of about 25 FTE (full-time equivalents), most of whom care for other taxonomic groups besides birds. Nearly all specimen records are now captured electronically, but seven different software systems are used (KE "EMu" and Vernon Systems "Collection" most commonly). The 14 Australasian bird collections together form a nationally and internationally important resource. These collections document the biodiversity of the birds of the Australasian biogeographic region, and allow researchers to study many aspects of avian biology, including speciation, biogeography, moult and plumages, systematics and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]