Denise Goodfellow's book, Birds of Darwin Mangroves and Mudflats, contains descriptions and illustrations of about 75 bird species found in mangroves, and on mudflats and saltflats in the Darwin area. It is part of a much larger work, Birds of the Top End, which has not yet been published.

Denise Goodfellow's illustrations are painted from live and dead birds (roadkills and museum collections), and from photographs. Local plumages are illustrated and hence some birds may look a little different from the illustrations in other bird books. They are grouped by appearance or color in a way that lessens confusion in identification for those unfamiliar with local birds. All birds of prey are on one plate, all herons on another. Yellow and streaky brown birds that could be confused are on one plate, plain brown birds on another. Some birds are placed together because there were no other similar birds likely in mangroves.

The illustrations from this book are reproduced here with the express permission of the author and artist, Denise Goodfellow (Lawungkurr Maralngurra) who is happy to share her extensive knowledge of birds of the Top End with us.

Like elswhere in the world, the destruction of habitat is greatly affecting bird watching tourism in the Northern Territory.

Says Denise to local residents and visitors alike: "You may want the Darwin mangroves conserved because you like to look at green areas or birds. You may want mangroves conserved because you fish, or because mangrove areas offer protection against storm surge during cyclones; or because you believe that biologically diverse areas are precious. You may also believe that we are part of a biological continuum with animals. If Aboriginal, you may see yourself as related to fish or crocodile or particular birds."

"Whatever your reasons or beliefs," Denise cautions, "make your views known. Write to the Northern Territory News and Territory Ministers and also inform your travel agents and tour operators of this dire situation. Wildlife's continued existence depends on us, the public. "

Her illustrations are presented here in the following nine plates. Click on the different plates to see the birds of Darwin's mangroves and mudflats through the artistry of conservationist Denise Goodfellow.

Plate 1 (Nankeen Night-heron, Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Pied Heron, White-faced Heron, Striated/Mangrove Heron, Eastern Reef Heron, Great-billed Heron, and Chestnut Rail)

Plate 2 (Eastern Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit, Great Knot, Common Greenshank, Red Knot, Terek Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lesser Sand Plover and Red-necked Stint)

Plate 3 (Great-billed Heron, Eastern Reef Egret, Great Egret, Little Egret, Nankeen Night-heron, Striated Heron, White-faced Heron, Pied Heron, Eastern Curlew, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey-tailed Tattler, Terek Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Great Knot, Red Knot, Common Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, and Common Greenshank)

Plate 4 (Osprey, Black/Fork-tailed Kite, Brahminy Kite, Whistling Kite, and Pacific Baza)

Plate 5 (Varied Triller, Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo, Little Bronze-Cuckoo, Oriental Cuckoo, Collared Kingfisher, Azure Kingfisher, Little Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher, Emerald Dove, and Rainbow Pitta)

Plate 6 (Dusky Honeyeater, Helmeted Friarbird, Red-headed Honeyeater, Little Shrike-thrush, Rufous-banded Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Lemon-bellied Flycatcher, Large-billed Gerygone, Green-backed Gerygone, Mangrove Gerygone, and Brown/Gray Whistler)

Plate 7 (Mangrove Golden Whistler, Mangrove Gerygone, Yellow White-eye, Lemon-bellied Flycatcher, Golden-headed Cisticola, Yellow Chat, Zitting Cisticola, Yellow Wagtail, and Richard's Pipit)

Plate 8 (Mangrove Grey Fantail, Rufous Fantail, Shining Flycatcher, Leaden Flycatcher, White-breasted Flycatcher, and Broad-billed Flycatcher)

Plate 9 (Black Butcherbird, Spangled Drongo, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Mangrove Robin, and White Wagtail)