Omari Gates
Tasmanian artist and writer Jennifer Cossins has created a beautifully illustrated anthology of 26 of Australia's most fascinating animals in her book, 'A-Z of Australian Animals'. From the award-winning creator of 'A-Z of Endangered Animals', this non-fiction picture book is packed with interesting facts and is perfect for young conservationists and students keen to learn about Australia's unique wildlife. On this expedition through the alphabet, readers will encounter rare and enchanting animals, from the azure kingfisher to the zebra finch.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Author | Jennifer Cossins |
| Author's origin | Tasmanian |
| Author's profession | Artist and writer |
| Author's other works | A-Z of Endangered Animals, 101 Collective Nouns, The Baby Animal Book, The Ultimate Animal Counting Book, A Flamboyance of Flamingos, The Mummy Animal Book, The Daddy Animal Book, The Ultimate Animal Alphabet Book, Book of Curious Birds, Amazing Animal Journeys, Extreme Animal Facts |
| Book format | Hardback anthology |
| Number of animals included | 26 |
| Animal examples | Azure kingfisher, koala, numbat, zebra finch |
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What You'll Learn
Azure kingfisher
The Azure Kingfisher is a small kingfisher with a long slender black bill and a short tail. Its head, neck, upper parts and breast sides are deep azure blue with a purplish sheen. The neck has a distinctive orange stripe on each side, with a small orange spot before each eye. The throat is pale orange-white, grading to orange-reddish on the belly and undertail. The flanks and sides of the breast are washed purple to violet. The legs and feet are red. The sexes are similar, while young birds have a darker cap and are generally duller.
The Azure Kingfisher is found across northern and eastern Australia, as well as in the Moluccas and Lesser Sundas (Indonesia), New Guinea and surrounding islands. In Australia, it is found from the Kimberley region in Western Australia, across the Top End to Queensland, and is widespread east of the Great Dividing Range to the Victorian border and south into Victoria and Tasmania. The habitat of the Azure Kingfisher includes the banks of vegetated creeks, lakes, swamps, tidal estuaries, and mangroves. It is never far from water, preferring freshwater rivers and creeks as well as billabongs, lakes, swamps and dams, usually in shady overhangs.
The Azure Kingfisher feeds on small fish, crustaceans (such as shrimps, amphipods and freshwater yabbies), water beetles, spiders, locusts, and small frogs or tadpoles. It is often difficult to see until it quickly darts from a perch above water, plunging into the water to catch its prey. They will often bash their prey against the perch before swallowing it headfirst. The Azure Kingfisher is usually silent, but makes a sharp, squeaky call when breeding, and a high-pitched "seeeeeeeep" call as it patrols up and down waterways and rivers.
The breeding season of the Azure Kingfisher is from September to April in northern Australia and from August to February in southern Australia, sometimes with two broods. The nest is in a chamber at the end of a 1-metre-long burrow in an earthen creek bank. A clutch of 4–6 white, rounded, glossy eggs, measuring 22 mm × 19 mm, is laid. Both parents incubate the eggs for 20–22 days, and then feed the hatchlings for a further 3 to 5 weeks. The nests are occasionally destroyed by floods and their contents may be taken by brown snakes.
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Sleepy koala
Koalas are marsupials, meaning they carry their young in a pouch. They are native to Australia and are known for their love of eucalyptus leaves, which make up the majority of their diet. With their round, fluffy ears and large noses, koalas have a distinctive appearance. They are often depicted in popular culture as being sleepy and lethargic, and this is not far from the truth. In fact, koalas sleep up to 20 hours a day!
There are a few reasons why koalas sleep so much. Firstly, their diet of eucalyptus leaves is relatively low in nutrients, so they conserve energy by sleeping for long periods of time. Secondly, sleeping in the branches of trees helps keep them safe from predators. Their fur also blends in with the colour of the trees, providing camouflage.
Koalas are mainly active at night, when they feed on eucalyptus leaves. They are excellent climbers and spend most of their waking hours in the trees, where they feel safe. Female koalas give birth to one joey at a time, which stays in her pouch for about six months.
The koala is just one of the fascinating animals featured in Jennifer Cossins' book, 'A-Z of Australian Animals'. Cossins is a Tasmanian artist and writer with a passion for nature and the animal kingdom. Her beautifully illustrated book takes readers on a journey through Australia's unique wildlife, from the azure kingfisher to the zebra finch. It is a stunning non-fiction picture book, packed with interesting facts about the country's rare and enchanting animals.
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Numbat
The numbat is a shy creature native to Australia. It is one of the many fascinating animals featured in Jennifer Cossins' beautifully illustrated anthology, "A-Z of Australian Animals". This non-fiction picture book is aimed at children with a love of animals and a thirst for knowledge. Cossins is a CBCA Honour Book-winning Tasmanian artist and writer with a passion for nature and the animal kingdom.
The numbat is a small, striped marsupial that is found in parts of Western Australia. It is also known as the banded anteater, and it is the state emblem of Western Australia. Numbats have a long, sticky tongue that they use to eat termites, and they are an important part of the ecosystem. They are also known for their shyness and are typically solitary animals, which is reflected in their depiction as a "shy" creature in Cossins' book.
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Zebra finch
The zebra finch is one of Australia's most fascinating animals, and it features in Jennifer Cossins' beautifully illustrated anthology, A-Z of Australian Animals. Cossins is a Tasmanian artist and writer with a passion for nature and the animal kingdom. Her book takes readers on an expedition through the alphabet, encountering some of Australia's rare and enchanting animals, and the zebra finch is one of them.
The zebra finch is a small, friendly bird that is native to Australia. It is easily recognisable by its distinctive black and white plumage, which resembles the stripes of a zebra, giving the bird its name. These birds are highly social and are often found in pairs or small flocks. They have a preference for open habitats with scattered trees and shrubs, and they build their nests in the branches of trees or shrubs, using grass, feathers, and other soft materials.
In terms of behaviour, zebra finches are known for their complex vocalisations and songs, which they use to communicate with each other. They are also highly social and often seen in pairs or small flocks. These birds are monogamous and form strong pair bonds. Both male and female zebra finches share the responsibility of building nests, incubating eggs, and caring for their young.
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Tasmanian wildlife
Tasmanian artist and writer Jennifer Cossins has a passion for nature, the animal kingdom, and all things bright and colourful. Cossins, a CBCA award-winning artist, has created a beautifully illustrated anthology of 26 of Australia's most fascinating animals in her book, 'A-Z of Australian Animals'. The book is a non-fiction picture book for children with a love of animals and a thirst for knowledge. It is packed with interesting facts and is perfect for young conservationists and students keen to learn about the world around them.
The book takes readers on an illustrated journey through Australia's unique wildlife, including some of the country's rare and enchanting animals. Among these are the azure kingfisher, the koala, the numbat, and the zebra finch. While it is not clear whether any of these species are native to Tasmania specifically, the book does showcase the diversity of Australia's wildlife, some of which may be found in Tasmania.
Tasmania is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including many unique and endemic species found nowhere else on Earth. The island state has a range of habitats, from rugged mountains to coastal areas, which provide homes for a variety of animals. Tasmania is known for its devils, a unique marsupial species with a fierce reputation, but also has a wide variety of birdlife and marine animals.
The Tasmanian devil, a stocky marsupial with a fierce reputation, is the world's largest carnivorous marsupial. Despite their name, these animals are not actually demonic and are more known for their loud screams and dark demeanour. They play an important role in the ecosystem by controlling the population of other animals, such as possums and wallabies. Unfortunately, they are now endangered due to a contagious form of cancer called devil facial tumour disease.
Tasmania is also home to a variety of unique birdlife, including the yellow-tailed black cockatoo, the forty-spotted pardalote, and the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle. The state's coastal areas and oceans are also home to a variety of marine animals, including fur seals, little penguins, and the Tasmanian sea horse, a unique species of seahorse found only in Tasmania.
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Frequently asked questions
It is a beautifully illustrated anthology of 26 of Australia's most fascinating animals. It is a non-fiction picture book for children with a love of animals and a thirst for encyclopaedic knowledge.
Jennifer Cossins is a CBCA award-winning artist and writer with a passion for nature, the animal kingdom and all things bright and colourful. She is born and raised in Tasmania and also designs homeware, textiles and stationery, which she stocks in her store in Hobart, Red Parka.
The book is an expedition through the alphabet, where readers will encounter some of Australia's rare and enchanting animals, from the gorgeous azure kingfisher and the sleepy koala, to the shy numbat and the friendly zebra finch. It is packed with interesting facts and is perfect for young conservationists and students with a keen interest in the world around us.
