When I was asked to review another identification guide to Britain’s birds, I did think why another, but I have been very impressed with this edition. It is slightly different in that it is a photographic guide rather than illustrated by an artist. There are more than 3,200 superb colour photographs (I did not count them all but took the figure from the introduction!). The photographs are mainly taken by the authors. With so many photographs, there have been a few comments from birdwatchers that some of the photographs have been misidentified. No doubt this will be rectified in the next edition, but this should not put off anyone from purchasing this excellent guide.
One feature is that it covers all plumages likely to be recorded of every species, juvenile, first winter, adult in summer, moulting and winter, in flight, males and females – quite extensive. All the photographs are facing and/or flying the same way – and on relevant backgrounds, not a hotchpotch – showing that a great deal of thought and manipulation has gone into arranging the photographs. Each regular breeding, wintering and migratory species has a map which is small with little detail but it does show migration routes. There are also some good comparisons of species, e.g. the pages with Hen/Marsh/Montagu’s and Pallid Harrier have all four photographs on one page to aid identification and this is a common practice throughout the book. The conservation, legislation and distribution key are included for each species including the IUCN red list and the BoCC (Birds of Conservation Concern).
To help the reader find the right bird in the right section, the book starts with six pages of thumbnails of 87 groups of birds acting as a contents list. This begins with water birds, then moves to seabirds, waterside birds, grouse and partridges, pigeons, owls and birds of prey, a mixed group (including kingfishers, cuckoos and woodpeckers) before the last group of passerines to reflect modern taxonomy.
At the end of the book is a section on North American land birds and birds of uncertain origin, escapees and introductions. There is a complete list of all species on British and Irish lists in taxonomic order at the end and it covers 648 species – those seen up to the end of March 2016. This obviously is only up-to-date when the authors wrote the book. I have just been to see a Siberian Accentor as I write this review – the first record for the UK and obviously not in this book – an addition for the next edition I hope. A nine-page index completes the book with both English and scientific names. All five authors are lifelong birdwatchers with a range of experience of both photographing birds, identifying them and writing about them.
The book is ideal for birdwatchers at any level – amateur or enthusiast so would be ideal on the shelves of any library. The weight of the book makes it too heavy to be a field guide but this does not stop it being an excellent reference book. Princeton University Press is donating money to the RSPB in the UK for every copy sold, and the production and design of the book is by WILD Guides in Hampshire.
