This multimedia CD‐ROM gives details of 447 species of birds that regularly breed, migrate and/or winter in Europe up to 45 degrees east. Introductory sections are also available giving accounts on general topics such as migration, feathers, skeleton and taxonomy, many well illustrated with drawings. For every bird species there is a description of its field characters, and information on voice, distribution, habitat, food and breeding with a coloured drawing (sometimes more than one) and often a photograph or video clip. One can see a photograph of the appropriate habitat, hear calls and songs or see sonograms, and see real‐size illustrations of the eggs. Excellent interactive maps in colour show distribution at different times of year and can be compared with maps for similar species. Some of the English bird names used may be unfamiliar to the British birdwatcher ‐ Eurasian Jay, Barn Swallow, European Robin ‐ all part of a movement to standardize bird names. Useful features are the pictorial identification keys to guide the user to the correct identity of any bird seen and a glossary to explain and illustrate the terms used. There is also a quiz section using either the illustrations or the bird sounds with which to test one’s ability to identify birds.
This CD‐ROM gives good basic and authoritative information on European birds and birds in general while being easy and fun to use. The more advanced birdwatcher will probably be disappointed at the rather limited text and illustrations.
