Have you ever wondered what 'our' birds get up to when they're not pinching our peanuts, pilfering our pyracantha berries or nesting under the eaves of our homes? The One Show's natural history star Mike Dilger tells us the answers in Nightingales in November. This brilliant almanac tells the very different personal and annual stories of twelve well-known birds we deign to call 'British'. Through a lyrical narrative, Nightingales in November showcases amazing avian facts gleaned over decades by birdwatchers, ringers, nest recorders and migration recorders. The perfect 'dip-into' book, any enquiring naturalist will be able to find out such facts as where British-breeding swallows spend Christmas Day, when to look out for juvenile tawny owls, or when is the best date in the calendar to listen out for nightingales. By using a combination of cutting-edge satellite technology and millions of ringing records, Nightingales in November reveals the mysteries of migration, tracking the regular movements of, for example, cuckoos for the eight months they're not in the UK, or divulging why not all robins are the 'stay-at-home' territorial types we once imagined. Illustrated throughout by Darren Woodhead, the birds featured include a rich mix of resident birds, summer visitors, winter visitors and passage migrants. Nightingales in November is a great read for anyone with a fondness for British birds.

John James Audubon (1785-1851) was for half a century America's dominant wildlife artist. His seminal Birds of America, a collection of 435 life-size prints, is still a standard work, and the name Audubon remains synonymous with birds and bird conservation the world over. Born in Haiti, the illegitimate son of a French sea-captain, he was raised in France and sailed to America at the age of 18 where he went into business and began his study of birds. In 1819 he was briefly jailed for bankruptcy; with no other prospects, he set off on his epic quest to depict America's avifauna, with nothing but his gun, artist's materials, and a young assistant. Floating down the Mississippi, he lived a rugged hand-to-mouth existence while his devoted wife, Lucy, earned money as a tutor to wealthy plantation families. In 1826 he sailed with his partly finished collection to England. Lionized as the 'American woodsman', he hit just the right Romantic note for the era, and was an overnight success, finding printers for his book first in Edinburgh, then London. It was a classic American tale of triumph over adversity. Here are vivid 'bird biographies', his correspondence with Lucy, journal accounts of his dramatic river journeys and hunting trips with the Osage Indians, and a generous sampling of brief stories that have long been out of print, 'The Burning of the Forests' and 'Kentucky Barbecue on the Fourth of July' among them. The Audubon Reader is an unforgettable encounter with early America: with its wildlife and birds, with its people and its primordial wilderness.

The author of Feathers and Eggshells is a teenager with a passion for wild birds. Here Natalie Lawrence takes us on an extended tour of her favourite bird watching area - Hampstead Heath in London - a suburban haven for wildlife, comprising different habitats for birds. From the mating dance of the Great Crested Grebe, to the delicacy of the Treecreeper's beak, she reveals the beauty and diversity of the local bird life, using drawings and photographs, prose and poetry.Feathers and Eggshells will appeal to all who can relate to a childhood passion and especially those who love birds in a natural setting.

An inspiring introduction to 50 wild birds for mindful post-Covid nature watchers. Written by vegan wildlife presenter and filmmaker Roxy Furman, and nature writer, poet and film-artist Dr Meriel Lland, this pocket companion for the newbie birdwatcher will introduce you to 50 birds often seen in the UK and Europe. Birding is one of the biggest trends of the last few years, and whether you live in a high-rise flat or a cabin in the woods, spending time in nature - away from screens - has proven benefits for our wellbeing. Each illustrated bird comes with a map of where in Europe you're likely to spot it, facts you never knew about each species, and notes on how we can help birds thrive - particularly those under threat. Whether you spot birds on your commute, cycle rides or weekend adventures, this is the perfect book for mindful nature lovers who want to look after our planet.

Raptors are formally classified into five families and include birds-such as eagles, ospreys, kites, true hawks, buzzards, harriers, vultures, and falcons-that are familiar and recognized by many observers. These diurnal birds of prey are found on every continent except Antarctica and can thrive in seemingly inhospitable spots such as deserts and the tundra. They have powerful talons and hooked beaks for cutting and tearing meat, and keen binocular vision to aid in their hunting prowess. Because of their large size, distinctive feeding habits, and long-distance flight patterns, raptors intrigue humans and have been the subject of much general interest as well as extensive scientific research. Keith L. Bildstein has watched and studied raptors on five continents and is well prepared to explain their critical importance, not only as ecological entities but also as inspirational tokens across natural and human-dominated landscapes. His book offers a comprehensive and accessible account of raptors, including their evolutionary history, their relationships to other groups of birds, their sensory abilities, their general natural history, their breeding ecology and feeding behavior, and threats to their survival in a human-dominated world. Biologically sound but readable, Raptors is a nontechnical overview of this captivating group. It will allow naturalists, birders, hawk-watchers, science educators, schoolchildren, and the general public, along with new students in the field of raptor biology, to understand and appreciate these birds, and in so doing better protect them.

83 species featured w/ 2 pages devoted to each species common and scientific names full-color illustrations w/ key identifiers natural history info and interesting facts size & voice range manps and map of best birding site

Your Bird-Watching Companion for Idaho, Oregon, and Washington Peaceful, relaxing, and inspiring-birding can yield a lifetime of satisfaction. For some, simple observation of birds is enough to fill them with joy. Others prefer to make it more interactive, striving to see a variety of species and learning to identify them. If you're among the latter, the Pacific Northwest Birding Companion is just for you. Written by award-winning author, naturalist, and wildlife photographer Stan Tekiela (known throughout the region for his best-selling bird identification guides), the Pacific Northwest Birding Companion is part how-to book, part field guide, and part journal. Read Stan's tips for identifying birds, and learn about everything from reporting a rare bird to dealing with injured birds. The field guide section organizes 145 species by color. When you see a yellow bird, go to the yellow section to discover what it is. There, you can also find range maps, as well as such information as nest descriptions, migration habits, and tips for attracting the species to your feeder. At the bottom of every page, there's room to log information about when and where you saw that species. You can also keep track of your birding life list on the book's closing pages-so you'll always have a running total of the different birds you've seen. Use your birding companion on its own, or pair it with Stan's bird identification guides. It will enhance your birding experience and bring even more enjoyment to the hobby that you love.

The chicken can fly only a few metres but – somehow – this unlikely evolutionary descendant of Tyrannosaurus Rex has conquered the world. Earth is now home to more than twenty billion chickens, at least ten times more than any other bird. For every human on the planet, there are three chickens. In Fowl Play, Sally Coulthard charts the chicken's fascinating journey from dinosaur to domestication to exploitation, exploring every aspect of the history of Gallus gallus domesticus: its importance to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans as food source and fighting bird; its symbolic roles in religion and folklore and metaphorical function in the language we use; its homely place as egg-providing companion on farms, smallholdings and in suburban back gardens; and its darker modern-day fate as battery bird raised to satisfy society's unquenchable addiction to wings and nuggets. Of all animals, chickens perhaps best represent the contradictory way we humans treat other species; both beloved pet and cheap commodity, symbol of a sustainable good life and brutalised object of factory farming. The chicken is also a bird we feel deeply familiar with and yet know very little about. As informative as it is entertaining, Fowl Play tells a remarkable tale of evolutionary change, epic global travel and ruthless exploitation – as well as of companionship, ingenuity and the folly of human nature.

Most British birds of prey have largely recovered from historical persecution, but the beleaguered Hen Harrier is still struggling and remains far less common than it should be. This is a particular shame, because it is one of our most inspiring raptors. Spectacular sky-dancing displays and balletic food passes from male to female brighten up the moors in summer. And in winter, communal roosts in the lowlands attract birders from far and wide to catch sight of this now-elusive species.  This book follows the Hen Harrier over a year: from rearing young hidden away in dense heather, to the fight for survival in the harshest months of winter. Interspersed among the monthly accounts are chapters on the history and status of this iconic bird, as well as an overview of one of the most intractable conflicts in modern conservation: the Hen Harrier’s liking for grouse moors (and the Red Grouse that live there) wins it few friends among shooters, and ongoing persecution continues to hamper its recovery. There are tentative signs of progress, but its fate as a breeding bird in England hangs in the balance.    Evocative illustrations, in part based on privileged access to the handful of breeding birds that remain on England’s moors, showcase the Hen Harrier’s exploits through the seasons. These will delight admirers of this species and hopefully foster a greater interest in its wellbeing. The Hen Harrier needs all the help it can get.

Having trouble separating your scops from your screech owls, Tengmalm's from Tawny Owl or Collared and Spotted Owlets? Then this is the book for you. Owls of the World is the ultimate photographic resource dedicated to the identification of these charismatic, largely nocturnal birds of prey. This book contains lavish and spectacular photography from dozens of the world's finest natural history photographers, covering all of the world's 268 species of owls; particular attention is given to subspecific differences, sexing and ageing. The photos are accompanied by concise text on the identification, habitat, food, distribution and voice of these birds, along with accurate range maps. In this second edition, recent changes to owl taxonomy are incorporated with full descriptions (and images) of a number of new species, plus a several new photographs to improve this book's amazing photographic coverage still further. This is the definitive work on owl identification - no birder's bookshelf should be without it!