The Hunters

Description

Debbie Stewart | 240 pages | 2018 | paperback

The Precarious Lives of New Zealand’s Bird of Prey

This landmark book presents all of our amazing birds of prey, from the cute ruru (morepork) we hear calling at night, to the hawks that hover over roadkill on our highways. Stunning photographs show the lives of these birds in intimate close-up, and the stories make a case for their continuing protection as a vital part of our fragile ecosystems.

Then there are the tales of the species that have already disappeared, like the incredible Haast’s eagle, which was large enough to hunt moa, and the laughing owl, said to have sounded like the devil.

Debbie Stewart has been working with raptors for more than 30 years and tells riveting and sometimes hilarious tales of her work. She and her team at Wingspan in Rotorua are passionate about their goals. They try to bring people into closer contact with these elusive creatures, while working to rescue and rehabilitate injured birds, using the ancient art of falconry to teach them to fly again.