Feathers of Aotearoa

As a nature artist, Niels Meyer-Westfeld has drawn horns, hooves, skin, scales, and fur, but nothing is as versatile as feathers. In this book he explores the feathers of Aotearoa’s native birds, from the long wing feathers of an albatross that enable it to soar endlessly over the oceans, to the tiny, insulating feathers of a penguin.
Feathers are one of nature’s most remarkable evolutionary developments, an ingenious solution to the countless environmental challenges that birds face. In this book the author showcases examples of feathers from New Zealand birds, including those used for various styles of flight, those adapted for diving and swimming, and others designed for insulation, light absorption or reflection, hearing, sound production, social displays, camouflage, and deception.
This exquisitely illustrated book, that combines artwork with compelling insights, will reveal a largely unknown aspect of the avian world, and will appeal to anyone with an interest in our unique bird life.

Author Biography

Niels Meyer-Westfeld trained in Germany and worked as a graphic designer in the UK before emigrating to New Zealand in 2002. He was a senior designer at NZ Post before joining his wife’s fashion business in charge of marketing, web development and graphic design.
He currently works as a freelance designer. Niels has always had a passion for nature and illustration, and his fascination with New Zealand’s unique natural history led him to produce his lauded first book, ‘Land of Birds’, and now this second book. He lives with his wife and two sons in Wellington.