-- Softbills Magazine
--Article published Nov07
--Review by Editor Paul Dick
Designed as an instructional text to provide information and techniques for managing and breeding Pekin Robins and other small softbill birds ex situ, this volume is the most comprehensive and current handbook on its topic. It provides the reader with much more than simple procedures and lists. Topics covered include in-depth explanations on housing, acquisition, hand-rearing, feeding, food cultivation, health care and an extensive list of small softbill species. Aviculturists both novice and experienced, will find value in this exceptional work.
Author Peter Karsten has provided personal case histories of his experiences on breeding Pekin Robins, along with his own detailed drawings and photograph records to complement written descriptions. Peter’s beautifully crafted watercolours make this book a work of art as well as an invaluable tool.
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-- January 29, 2008
-- Peter Karsten received a review from Dr. Wolfgang W. Gettman, director of the Aquazoo in Düsseldorf, Germany. Dr. Wolfgang W. Gettman is one of the leading zoo directors in Germany. The Aquazoo has a curator of birds as they are exhibiting aquatic birds, besides mammals insects and of course fish and marine life.
English translation(condensed):
Dear Colleague Karsten,
Last Tuesday, January the 22nd, 2008, I had the pleasure to receive your magnificent publication “Pekin Robins and Small Softbills”, and a few hours later I knew already that I was holding one of the most interesting and splendid bird books in my hands. Your fine water colors, the highly informative sketches and drawings as well as the instructive text prevents one from putting the book down, and one discovers something new every time. Whether it is Feeding, Housing, Breeding , Health-care for these birds – successful Breeding and Management without using the “Karsten”, as this handbook will soon be called, will be practically impossible in the future. I concur with the wise words in the foreword by William Convey :” If only such a book had been available for the Carolina parakeet and the passenger pigeon!
I congratulate you sincerely to this publication and will present it in our next newsletter “Aquarius”.
German translation:
Lieber Herr Kollege Karsten,
am letzten Dienstag, dem 22.1.2008, durfte ich mich über die Überreichung Ihres prächtigen Werkes Pekin Robins and Small Softbills durch Ihre Schwester und Ihren Schwager (siehe beigefügtes Foto) freuen und bereits einige Stunden später wusste ich, dass ich damit eines der interessantesten und schönsten Vogelbücher in der Hand halten konnte. Ihre herrlichen Aquarelle, die hoch informativen Skizzen und Zeichnungen sowie der äußerst aufschlussreiche Text läßt einem beim Schmökern gar nicht mehr inne halten und ständig entdeckt man Neues. Egal ob Fütterung, Unterbringung, Zucht oder Gesundheitsfürsorge dieser Vögel - erfolgreiches Breeding and Management wird künftig ohne den KARSTEN, wie das Handbuch wohl bald kurz heißen wird, nicht mehr möglich sein. Und ich schlisse mich den weisen Worten von William Conway im Vorwort an: If only such a book had been available for the Carolina parakeet and the passenger pigeon!
Ich gratuliere Ihnen herzlich zu diesem Werk und werde es in der nächsten Ausgabe unserer Hauszeitschrift Aquarius vorstellen.
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--January 29, 2008
-- Peter Karsten received a review from Elfi Gleustees a professor of musik at the university and colleges in Calgary.
Hello Peter,
I finished reading your excellent book on the Pekin Robin and cannot congratulate you sufficiently. I was enormously impressed with the presentation, the passion behind the work, the dedication, the knowledge, the information, the style of writing, the language, the lovely drawings, the beautiful photographs, the detailed scientific observation and the impeccable wisdom. Bravissimo.
I will not hesitate in saying that I felt that your life must have been somewhat occupied by your venture. How you even found time to socialize astounds me. It is a complete occupation and one that, despite its enormous success, must have been very very demanding. You should be granted a Doctorate for your work.
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--The Avicultural Magazine
--The Avicultural Society, Wadebridge, Cornwall, UK
--February 2008
--Review by Andrew Owen
Peter Karsten was born in Germany and, following the completion of his formal education in Germany and Sweden, emigrated to Canada in 1962. After a 30-year career with Calgary Zoo, for 20 years of which he held the positions of Zoo Director and Executive Director, he retired in 1994 and turned his attention to small softbills, keeping and breeding Pekin Robins Leiothrix lutea for the past 10 years. (An article by Peter Karsten on keeping and breeding the European Robin Erithacus rubecula will appear in a future issue of the Avicultural Magazine. –Ed.) His professionalism and hands-on avicultural skills shine through in his delightful books, Pekin Robins and Small Softbills – Management and Breeding.
There is a dearth of good quality, up-to-date books on bird husbandry, particularly relating to softbills, so this well thought out personal account of managing these charming birds will be welcomed by bird keepers. The 17 color plates, 60 high quality photographs and numerous line drawings by the author help make this book even more endearing.
It is clear that Peter Karsten has a real passion for these birds and he covers in fine detail every aspect of their husbandry. A really practical and useful book, it has chapters covering biology, housing, general care, acquisition, breeding, hand-rearing, feeding and health care, as well as cultivation live food.
Packed with information gathered through personal experience, Peter Karsten’s book is a mine of information for beginners and experienced aviculturists alike. The section on the determination of sex is of particular interest. Although the Pekin Robin (or Red-billed Leiothrix) is frequently kept, it continues to surprise me how many aviculturists are unable to sex their birds accurately. This no longer needs to be the case, as the author resolves this tricky problem.
I am very impressed by his coverage of subjects such as aviary design, predator prevention, health care and cultivating live food, with his line drawings, used throughout the book, enhancing his coverage of each subject. Although the author lives in Canada, all of the techniques described are applicable here in the UK and probably elsewhere as well. The climate is similar to that of the UK and northern Europe and, although the predators may be different, the methods of keeping them out of our aviaries are much the same wherever we live.
There is a chapter on other softbill species, which gives brief descriptions and useful management tips. The Pekin Robin is the main focus of the book, but the author’s practical ideas and common sense approach highly recommend Peter Karsten’s book to serious aviculturists caring for just about any other species of aviary birds.
Pekin Robins and Small Softbills – Management and Breeding (ISBN 978-0-88839-606-8) by Peter Karsten, hard cover, 252 pages, 17 colour plates, 60 color photographs and 257 line drawings, is published by Hancock House Publishers.
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--Talking Birds Newspaper
--March 2008
-- Review by Lloyd Marshall
HEAPS OF INFORMATION ON ROBINS AND SOFTBILLS
The keeping of softbills has become more popular as live food has become more readily available and Pekin Robins and Small Softbills by Peter Karsten is an ideal book for anyone with an interest in this group of birds.
Designed by its author to be an instructional text to provide information and techniques for managing and breeding Pekin robins and other small softbills, this 251-page book is the most comprehensive and current handbook on the subject.
Topics covered include in depth explanations of housing, acquisition, hand-rearing, feeding, food cultivation, health care and an extensive list of small softbill species.
The author provides personal case histories of his experiences in breeding Pekin robins, along with his own detailed drawings and photographic records to complement written descriptions.
His beautifully crafted watercolors make the book a work of art as well as an invaluable tool.
Approximately 100 topics are discussed and they are arranged by a decimal numbering index, where the numbers indicate cross-references of various topics in the text.
A zoo keeper and director for 30 years, this author started keeping Pekin robins when he retired and he has bred 85 chicks in seven breeding seasons from 16 starter birds and their offspring.
A section addresses the production of live food, including crickets, mealworms, fly cultures and earthworms, as well as collecting wild insects.
As well as Pekin robins, this book, which is published by Hancock House, www.hancockhouse.com, comprehensively covers 19 other softbill species.
Aviculturists, both novice and experienced, will find this exceptional volume a worthy addition to their collections of avian publications. |
