Britain is home to fifteen species of breeding birds of prey,
from the hedgerow-hopping Sparrowhawk to the breathtaking
White-tailed Eagle. In this handsomely illustrated book, acclaimed
British filmmaker and naturalist David Cobham offers unique and
deeply personal insights into Britain's birds of prey and how they
are faring today. He delves into the history of these marvelous
birds and talks in depth with the scientists and conservationists
who are striving to safeguard them. In doing so, he profiles the
writers, poets, and filmmakers who have done so much to change the
public's perception of birds of prey. Thanks to popular television
programs, the Victorian myth that any bird with a hooked beak is
evil has been dispelled. However, although there are success
stories--five birds of prey that were extinct have become
reestablished with viable populations--persecution is still rife:
so much so that one bird of prey, the Hen Harrier, became extinct
in England as a breeding bird in 2013.
Featuring drawings by famed wildlife artist Bruce Pearson, this
book reveals why we must cherish and celebrate our birds of prey,
and why we neglect them at our peril. In "A Sparrowhawk's Lament,"
you will learn how the perfection of the double-barreled shotgun
sounded a death knell for British birds of prey in the nineteenth
century, how the conscription of gamekeepers during two world wars
gave them a temporary reprieve, how their fortunes changed yet
again with the introduction of agricultural pesticides in the
1950s, why birds of prey are vital to Britain's ecosystems and
cultural heritage - and much more.
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