In a unique new collaboration, Collins have paired up with the respected British Trust for Ornithology, bringing together the most authoritative and up-to-date information in this new field guide to the common birds of Britain and Ireland. This unique new identification guide features all of the birds that have occurred five or more times in Britain and Ireland, including all species that breed regularly in the region, plus those that winter here, or occur as common passage migrants. The book has been written and illustrated as much with the beginner in mind as the experienced birdwatcher. Designed to be used in the field, the text and photographs describe and illustrate the key features needed to identify a species with confidence, and to separate it from similar, or 'confusion', species. As a general rule, the species accounts follow the taxonomic running order provided by the British Ornithologist's Union (BOU). But for the benefit of the reader, in some instances the running order has been juggled subtly so that potentially confusing species are placed side by side. Throughout the book there are special pages that describe the key features needed for separating different families, and groups of birds that share the same habitat. More than 1,200 photographs are featured and many are seen here for the first time. They have been chosen carefully to show not only important identification features but also to give clues to the usual habitat favoured by the bird, and its typical posture. Annotations highlight key identification features that are discussed in the text. Song and call are useful aids to identification, and reference is made to vocalisation for each species. The average size of each bird is included; in most species this is the length, measured from the tip of the bill to the tip of the tail, but in birds that are seen most frequently in flight (such as raptors), the given measurement is wingspan. Relative abundance maps are shown for every species. The darker shading shows where a species is most abundant, and the lighter shades where it is less so. These are based on the very latest information contained within the BTO's Bird Atlas 2007-11.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE GOLD DAGGER AWARD 'A tale of obsession ... vivid and arresting' The Times One summer evening in 2009, twenty-year-old musical prodigy Edwin Rist broke into the Natural History Museum at Tring, home to one of the largest ornithological collections in the world. Once inside, Rist grabbed as many rare bird specimens as he was able to carry before escaping into the darkness. Kirk Wallace Johnson was waist-deep in a river in New Mexico when his fly-fishing guide first told him about the heist. But what would possess a person to steal dead birds? And had Rist paid for his crime? In search of answers, Johnson embarked upon a worldwide investigation, leading him into the fiercely secretive underground community obsessed with the Victorian art of salmon fly-tying. Was Edwin Rist a genius or narcissist? Mastermind or pawn?

The definitive photographic guide to the amazing avifauna of South Africa. South Africa - from the vast savanna of Kruger to the unparalleled richness of the Cape - is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, featuring the highest number of endemics of any African country, as well as rich seabird assemblage and vast numbers of more widespread yet no less spectacular African birds. The perfect companion for any wildlife-friendly visitor, Birds of South Africa provides photographic coverage of more than 340 species that regularly occur in the region. Concise text for each species includes information on identification, songs and calls, behaviour, distribution and habitat, with each photo having been carefully selected to guide identification. A guide to the best birdwatching sites in South Africa is also included. Portable yet authoritative, this is the perfect guide for travellers and birdwatchers visiting this spectacular and bird-rich destination.

Japan is home to a spectacular and diverse range of birds, and this up-to-date text covers the identification, voice, habitat, behaviour and range of all the species and subspecies found across the beautiful and fascinating Japanese archipelago. The authoritative text is accompanied by superb full-colour plates painted by an expert artist and covers all major plumage variations. Birds of Japan will ensure that this top birding destination is made accessible to all. - The essential field guide to the region, covering 738 species and subspecies - 187 superb colour plates with detailed identification text and accurate colour distribution maps - Detailed illustrations of distinct subspecies, sexes, ages and morphs

Birds are intelligent, sociable creatures that exhibit a wide array of behaviours - from mobbing and mimicking to mating and joint nesting. Why do they behave as they do? Bringing to light the remarkable actions of birds through examples from species around the world, How To Read a Bird presents engaging vignettes about the private lives of birds, all explained in an evolutionary context. Richly illustrated, this book explores the increasing focus on how individual birds differ in personality and how big data and citizen scientists are helping to add to what we know about them.

The most comprehensive single-volume photographic guide to Europe's birds ever produced-from the authors of the acclaimed Britain's Birds Covering more than 900 species, and illustrated with 4,700 photographs, Europe's Birds is the most comprehensive, authoritative and ambitious single-volume photographic guide to Europe's birds ever produced. Easy-to-use, practical and accessible, this guide provides the information necessary for birdwatchers of all abilities to name any bird they see. Detailed descriptions cover the birds in all their plumages-male, female, breeding, non-breeding, adult and immatures, as well as distinctive subspecies. The clear text covers all aspects of identification, including moult and vocalizations, and provides details on range, status and habitat. An unrivalled selection of photographs, chosen to be as informative as possible, makes this a beautiful book to enjoy, as well as an up-to-date and essential source of identification knowledge. Europe's Birds is produced by the same team that created Britain's Birds, which has been described as "without doubt the best photo guide on the market" (Andy Stoddart, Rare Bird Alert). The authors include top-class wildlife photographers, writers and editors, and an imaginative, highly skilled designer. All are experienced birdwatchers themselves, who know what is needed in an identification guide for birdwatchers living or travelling in Europe. Illustrates all 928 species recorded in Europe, including established introductions Features 4,700 stunning photographs showing the birds as you really see them Focuses on identification, covering all plumages and subspecies Provides detailed comparison of similar and difficult species Includes details of moult, vocalizations, status and favoured habitats Contains 540 maps, prepared in association with BirdLife International

This beautiful book celebrates the artistry of bird photography and showcases the best of the best. It accompanies an annual competition, Bird Photographer of the Year, which brings together the most outstanding examples of recent bird imagery. The Bird Photographer of the Year competition celebrates the artistry of bird photography, and this large-format book is lavishly illustrated to reflect this. A celebration of avian beauty and diversity, it is a tribute to both the dedication and passion of the photographers as well as a reflection of the quality of today's modern digital imaging systems. The book includes the winning and short-listed images from the sixth year of this annual competition, showcasing some of the finest bird photography and with a foreword by long-term birdwatcher, Bill Bailey. A proportion of the profits from the book goes directly to Birds on the Brink to support their conservation work. The advent of digital technology has revolutionised photography in recent years, and the book brings to life some of the most stunning bird photography currently on offer. It features a vast variety of photographs by hardened pros, keen amateurs and hobbyists alike, reflecting the huge diversity of bird enthusiasts and nature lovers which is so important in ensuring their conservation and survival.

Parrots’ colour and charisma, coupled with the fact that they mimic human speech, make them fascinating to many people. They are ancient birds with unique bill and foot structures that enable them to forage on fruits in the canopy of forest trees as well as on seeds in grasslands. Because they depend on fruits and seeds all year round, most species are confi ned to the tropics or sub-tropics, where the world’s biodiversity is at its greatest. There are over three hundred species of parrots, of which more than one hundred are recognised as rare, endangered, vulnerable or threatened with extinction.

Parrots are largely distributed in tropical areas of developing countries where economies are weak and uncertain, and where there is great dependence on the exploitation of natural resources, particularly hard wood evergreen forests, which are preferred parrot habitats. Unfortunately, high levels of corruption are common to these regions, with much illegal trade in animals and little or no law enforcement. Collectors of parrots in the fi rst world pay huge sums for rare parrots. However, research, education and conservation actions are greatly reducing illegal trade in African parrots.

This book provides complete coverage of all aspects of the biology of extant African, Malagasy and Mascarene parrots, and reviews our knowledge of extinct and fossil parrots from the region. Particular themes include the behavioural and ecological characteristics of parrots, their species characteristics and conservation biology. Current concepts in avian and conservation biology are also discussed.

Parrots of Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands is aimed at ornithologists, conservation biologists, avian ecologists, academics, bird watchers and parrot fans alike. It is well illustrated, with high quality original photographs, and includes distribution maps, fi gures and tables.

Defines the foundational principles of behavior in songbirds Describes cutting edge research on songbird behavior in an easy to read format Explores the links between behavior and conservation Offers management suggestions for songbirds in an urbanizing world

Get the New Edition of Tennessee’s Best-Selling Bird Guide Learn to identify birds in Tennessee, and make bird-watching even more enjoyable. With Stan Tekiela’s famous field guide, bird identification is simple and informative. There’s no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don’t live in your area. This book features 125 species of Tennessee birds organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don’t know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out. Book Features: 125 species: Only Tennessee birds Simple color guide: See a yellow bird? Go to the yellow section Compare feature: Decide between look-alikes Stan’s Notes: Naturalist tidbits and facts Professional photos: Crisp, stunning full-page images This new edition includes more species, updated photographs and range maps, revised information, and even more of Stan’s expert insights. So grab Birds of Tennessee Field Guide for your next birding adventure—to help ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see.

Do you have a large 'Wader'-sized gap in your bird knowledge? Roy Cowgill and Stephen Davis will help you fill in those gaps and will soon have you identifying South Africa's shorebirds with confidence and ease. This unique new guide will help identify the more common waders (shorebirds) in South Africa and will appeal to both experienced birders and novices. Using classification, characteristics and behaviour, and based on an 8-point identification framework, the reader is guided through the stages of identification of shorebirds. The book gives visual clues to both plovers and sandpipers through silhouettes and plumage patterns showing their relative size as a key to identification, as well as photos with key species characteristics. Also included are descriptions of habitats, tables showing seasonality, abundance and distribution.

Sasol Eerste Veldgids tot Algemene Voels van Suider-Afrika bied ’n fassinerende blik op die voellewe van die streek. Met behulp van volkleurfoto's en verspreidingskaarte, asook maklik leesbare teks, sal die jong volwassene en ontluikende natuurliefhebber die meer algemene voelspesies in Suider-Afrika kan identifi seer, kan vasstel waar hulle leef, en meer te wete kom oor hul unieke vreet- en broeigewoontes.

Tweet, tweet, parakeet! Your one-stop resource when you're ready to bring home a budgie There are lots of perks to owning a parakeet (also known as a budgie). This book introduces you to your beautiful budgie buddy and prepares you to give that bird a home that other avian companions will envy. Perfect for first-time bird owners and seasoned bird parents, Parakeets For Dummies offers expert advice on adopting a parakeet and introducing it to other fur or feathered babies you might have. You'll also discover the best way to groom and train your parakeet and learn how to teach it to talk. And when your feathered friend appears to be under the weather, you can turn to this book to identify the symptoms of illness and know what to look for when choosing a vet for your pet. Discover whether a parakeet is a good fit for your family, including any existing birds and other pets Construct a comfortable enclosure and prep your home so your bird can play safely Protect your parakeet from common dangers and avoidable illnesses Feed your parakeet a healthy and varied diet to ensure a long and healthy life This helpful handbook contains the latest tips and tools for parakeet care so your new family member will feel right at home right away.

At the very end of the road is a six-bar metal gate. It is chained and padlocked and marks the exact line where the tarmac stops. Beyond that is a track, twelve pasture and hay fields, and an area of saltmarsh, bounded on one side by a river and on the other by vast tidal mudflats. Deep in the west of England, this is a place sculpted by the wind and painted by the tides. It is a place full of wildlife. This immersive and carefully crafted book of place explores the impact of season and tides and weather upon this land at the edge through a series of literary pictures crafted through lyrical imaginative language. The author attempts what few, if any, have tried to do, namely to render meticulous observations of the intimate details of wildlife and landscape to depict a place as faithfully and transparently as possible. This is a bold book, one that tries to capture the elusive soul of a place; a daring examination of both what makes a place and how it is remade daily through the interactions between landscape and observer. It is also radical for its approach challenges the current orthodoxy of nature writing that in order to supply a connection between author, subject, and reader, some sort of narrative framework of human emotion is required to provide it with a rationale. So, although the prose is subjective, the book is framed in such a way as to remove the author's presence almost completely. There is no story save that of the eternal change of the seasons, no narrative connection, no focus on a single species, no discussion or allusion to the environmental issues of our age, no characters. Indeed, there is barely any mention of people at all. Although it rarely tries to explain or educate, it simply places observations at centre stage. Yet in trying to unearth what it is precisely that constructs our relationship with place, the author has, paradoxically, produced one of the most deeply personal and unusual nature books.

Changes in farmland management throughout the twentieth century, including agricultural intensification and increasing mechanisation, have resulted in the loss of habitat for many species. The Corncrake is one such species that has faced multiple challenges to its survival. Although it was once a common bird throughout northern Europe, the breeding areas of Corncrakes have been steadily reduced to a fraction of what they once were, and in many areas their continuation as a regularly breeding bird is in serious doubt. In addition, the behaviour of the Corncrake, nesting under the cover of tall grass and undertaking annual long-distance migrations, means that for most of the last hundred years, its detailed ecology has remained mysterious and little understood. Although there have been millions of words written about the Corncrake in scientific papers, until now there has been no full-length book that attempts to capture all the aspects of its ecology, and to present this information to non-specialists. As a result, until very recently, many important facts about its lifestyle and behaviour have not been widely known, even among ornithologists. Although scarcely seen in its natural habitat, the Corncrake is well-known in many rural areas due to its characteristic (and persistent) night-time calling, but new discoveries with the aid of acoustic science have proved surprising, and may offer new ways of improving the location, identification, and management options to protect and enable the population of this iconic species to recover, even to thrive in our countryside. A new appreciation of the requirements of this species and the ways in which our sensitive management of the whole landscape, both in its potential breeding areas across Europe and Asia and in the seasonal quarters in regions of Africa, offer new hope for the future of this fascinating bird.

Originally published in 1891.Contents Include: The Cardinal Family The Crow Family The Dove Family The Drongo Family The Finch Family The Kingfisher Family The Lark Family The Mannikin Family The Owl Family The Quail Family The Robin Family The Sparrow Family The Starling Family The Tanager Family The Thrush Family The Warbler Family The Waxbill Family The Weaver Family

An ornithological quiz book packed with challenging questions for birders, based on the popular 'Bird Brain of Britain' contest at the annual BirdFair. The British Birdwatching Fair, held every August at Rutland Water Nature Reserve, attracts over 30,000 visitors every year. One of the most popular attractions in the events marquee is the 'Bird Brain of Britain' contest. Each of the four contestants must answer a set of questions on their nominated specialist subject, and a second set on general (ornithological) knowledge. The participants have included popular presenters and experts throughout the years, including Stephen Moss, Chris Harbard, Mark Andrews, Nigel Redman, Mike Dilger and David Lindo, among many others. The book will feature the questions asked in the contest over its 30-year lifespan. Many seemingly simple questions turn out to have complex answers, and some that seem difficult have a very simple explanation. The questions are difficult and varied enough to test any birder's knowledge, and will provide many hours of challenging entertainment. Be they trivial, idiosyncratic, baffling or strange, the varied bird trivia included makes this compilation as entertaining and enlightening as it is educational.

Get the New Edition of Florida's Best-Selling Bird Guide Learn to identify birds in Florida, and make bird-watching even more enjoyable. With Stan Tekiela's famous field guide, bird identification is simple and informative. There's no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don't live in your area. This book features 146 species of Florida birds organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don't know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out. Book Features: 146 species: Only Florida birds Simple color guide: See a yellow bird? Go to the yellow section Compare feature: Decide between look-alikes Stan's Notes: Naturalist tidbits and facts Professional photos: Crisp, stunning full-page images This new edition includes more species, updated photographs and range maps, revised information, and even more of Stan's expert insights. So grab Birds of Florida Field Guide for your next birding adventure-to help ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see.

Chris Packham's infectious passion for nature will inspire you on your birdwatching journey.

Chris is a lifelong birdwatcher and the perfect guide on a day out bird spotting. Through a series of chapters, he can build you from an absolute beginner exploring your own backyard, giving you tips and insights that he has gained from years of birdwatching.

Whether you are in a city or deep in the country, birds are guaranteed and provide an easy doorway into nature. Learn where, when, and how to look and what to look out for. Find out what equipment to buy and how to use it. Discover the different characters and characteristics of birds - from the shy bittern to the bold robin and gymnastic red kite.

As you build skills and experience, the book will help you expand horizons from walks with binoculars around your "local patch" to visiting remote wildlife reserves and other nature hotspots, with their contrasting birdlife and different demands, from dense woodland to expansive estuaries teeming with flocks of waders.

This is the first single volume guide ever devoted to the eastern Asian avifauna. The eastern Asian region, centering especially on the major islands off the continental coast (including Japan and Taiwan) and the immediately adjacent areas of the Asian continent from Kamchatka in the north and including the Korean Peninsula are an important centre of endemism. Birds endemic to this region include representatives of many of the major families, from the world's largest eagle - Steller's Sea Eagle - to the tiny Taiwan Firecrest. The east Asian continental coast and the offshore islands also form one of the world's major international bird migration routes, especially for waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors, while the east Asian continental mainland itself is home to a wide range of species little known to western ornithologists such as Scaly-sided Merganser, Oriental Stork and Mugimaki Flycatcher. The guide features the most up-to-date text available, which, in conjunction with extensive colour plates throughout, facilitates the field identification of all of the species known from the region. Colour distribution maps enhance the text by providing a visual analysis of the summer, winter and migratory ranges of all species.

Bird photography is one of the most challenging genres of photography, and can test even modern high-specification cameras to their limits. This practical book guides you through both how to understand your camera and how to develop your own style and approach. With technical, practical and creative insights throughout, it also emphasizes the importance of fieldcraft and understanding your subject.

The only field guide to every species recorded in Seychelles, covering over 250 species. This compact field guide, based on Birds of Seychelles by Adrian Skerrett, Ian Bullock and Tony Disley (Helm 2000), is the only field guide to cover every species recorded in Seychelles. It covers more than 250 species, including all residents, migrants and vagrants. Concise text on facing pages highlights key identification features, including habitat, distribution, status and voice. The plates are based on the authors' previous work, but with the addition on many new images. The text has been completely re-written and revised for this edition, and the plates have been re-worked to accommodate a number of new additions to the country's list. There are now 12 more plates than in the first edition.