RSPB Handbook of British Birds: Fifth edition

The bestselling RSPB Handbook of British Birds is the most comprehensive reference for birdwatchers of all levels of interest and experience. Now in its fifth edition, it remains the most accessible field guide to more than 300 bird species likely to be encountered in Britain and Ireland.
Alongside artworks depicting all common plumages, the detailed text describes each bird's behaviour, habitat, voice, breeding biology, longevity and seasonal movements, as well as other useful information. The guide also includes UK population trends and up-to-date distribution maps.
Completely revised and updated, this fifth edition also features new artwork and comparison spreads, additional rarities and the most recent taxonomic order, as well as each species' conservation status, a summary of the threats UK species are currently facing and details of what conservationists are doing to help.

RSPB Birds of Britain and Europe

For ornithology enthusiasts, or if you just want to identify the visitors coming into your garden, this bird guide will tell you everything you need to know about our local birds. It has been authenticated by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to provide you with the most thorough and accurate information.
Discover detailed profiles of a wide variety of birds in Britain and Europe. Read about their different behaviours and habits, such as mating, nursing, and migration patterns. Learn when the best time of year is to spot them and where they are most likely to be found.
The highest quality photography brings over 500 bird species to life on the page. Every text entry covers identification of adults and juveniles, and you'll soon be able to identity birds from their shape, plumage, or call. This accessible birdwatching guide also features references to similar-looking species.
A Must-Have for Any Birdwatcher

RSPB Complete Birds of Britain and Europe

This large format book starts with an extensively illustrated introduction, describing bird characteristics and behaviour. It also surveys the varied habitats in which birds may be spotted, including urban parks and gardens.
The 330 most commonly seen species are given a full-page entry in the species catalogue. See birds in their natural habitat and learn about characteristic behaviour with stunning photos showing adults in typical plumage, with male, female, juvenile, and summer or winter variations to help you identify birds quickly and easily. Colour-coded maps highlight resident and migratory distributions so you know which species of birds to expect when you are out and about. Descriptions of rare species and accidental visitors to Britain and Europe are also included.
The new edition of RSPB Complete Birds of Britain and Europe includes access to a free-download audio app, which features recordings of birdsong and calls for the most commonly occurring species - so that species can be identified by sound and by sight.

RSPB Garden Birds

From urban rooftops to open meadows, the incredible diversity of gardens in the British Isles can provide refuge and feeding opportunities for a vast array of birds. Even the smallest gardens can attract some birdlife and watching garden birds is a great joy for all nature lovers, brightening each day and providing an immediate connection with the wider and wilder world beyond the fence.
Nature is facing challenges throughout the world, including right here in the UK, and the changing fortunes of our garden birds are strong indicators of the overall health of our wildlife. With information on how to encourage birds to visit our gardens and boost their survival and breeding success, and how to identify them, this book describes the small steps we can all take to help these birds survive the hardships of winter and bring forth a healthy new generation that we can recognise, appreciate and enjoy for decades to come.

RSPB Pocket Garden Birdwatch

Birdwatching is among the most popular hobbies in Britain, and one that can be done on your doorstep. RSPB Pocket Garden Birdwatch contains expert advice on how to provide water, food, and nesting sites to create a bird-friendly environment. It also reveals essential tips on observing birds, including the basic equipment needed.

The indispensable book profiles the top 40 British garden birds, each illustrated with in-situ photography to make identification easy. Practical projects include making and siting a nest box, and how to design a bird-friendly garden, including choosing plants to attract particular species. The book also gives information about seasonal changes in bird behaviour, and a helpful size-comparison gallery for the species profiled in the book makes identification easy.

RSPB Pocket Garden Birdwatch is perfect for the novice birdwatcher or families getting involved in birdwatching together. It will also help you join the RSPB's annual Big Garden Birdwatch event, which monitors trends and keeps track of how each species is doing.

RSPB Guide to Birdsong

Birdsong is the natural soundtrack to our lives and can evoke a powerful sense of time, place and season. Often profoundly beautiful, it is also the most effective way to discover many birds, and birds' songs and calls reveal much about their lives and behaviour. But identifying which bird is making which sound can seem challenging.

With this ground-breaking and easy-to-use RSPB guide, Adrian Thomas helps you learn and identify bird sounds step by step and at your own pace. Whether you are an experienced birdwatcher or just enjoy hearing the birds in your garden, this new guide will open your ears like never before to the amazing songs and calls around you.

RSPB British Birdfinder

Most bird books are designed to help you identify the birds that you've seen. This book is different. It is a species-by-species guide that shows you how to find and watch more than 250 species of birds that can be seen in Britain. Some are common; others are rare migrants or scarce breeding birds, but this book will tell you the best places to see and watch all of them. Readers will be able to see their most coveted species but also enjoy rewarding watching experiences that will enhance their understanding of the species, of bird behaviour and of key fieldcraft techniques.
Sections include:
- How to find including the best time of day, how to search the habitat and behavioural signs
- Watching tips including ways to get close to the bird without disturbing it and how to attract it to your garden.
- Super sites includes a short list of some of the best places to see the species.

RSPB Spotlight Sparrows

Sparrows are often considered familiar to the point of invisibility, but the recent steep decline in numbers of both native British species is a reminder that these unassuming chatterboxes deserve a little more attention.
Of all the true sparrow species found worldwide, only two occur in the British Isles. Globally, the story of the House Sparrow is one of dramatic expansion: from humble origins in the Middle East where they spread, along with agriculture, to become the most widely distributed bird on the planet. The smaller, more active Tree Sparrow has also spread extensively, following the domestication of rice rather than wheat, and both species have been heavily persecuted in recent years. In Spotlight Sparrows, Amy-Jane Beer examines the causes behind the decline of these familiar species, and explores their biology and life cycle, social behaviour, and the significant role that sparrows play in human culture, from Shakespeare and Edith Piaf to Captain Jack Sparrow.
The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviour of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photography and informative expert text.

RSPB Spotlight Ducks & Geese

This will be a detailed 'biography' of ducks and geese that breed in or regularly visit the UK - covering 30 species in all. It will include chapters on the evolution of ducks and geese, their place in the natural world, their anatomy and physiology, various feeding methods, spectacular courtship displays and diverse breeding behaviour. Marianne Taylor will reveal their often epic migrations and examine their social interactions with their own and other species, including their unusual readiness to hybridise. She will also detail their relationships with humankind over the centuries, including their presence in folklore and literature and their role in our lives as both prey and pets. She will also explore their presence as feral and sometimes invasive species outside their natural ranges, and their current status within their native wild ranges as the group includes several species recently recognised as being of global conservation concern.

RSPB Spotlight Crows

From Ravens to Jackdaws and Choughs to Jays, crows are among some of Britain's most familiar, abundant and opinion-dividing birds. The UK's eight crow species all belong to the Corvidae family, and they have been deeply intertwined in our lives and culture since prehistoric times.
Crows have long attracted a bad press. Reviled as scavengers, crop raiders and jewellery thieves, these birds - known to scientists are corvids - have often found themselves on the wrong end of a shotgun. Yet behind crows' supposed misdemeanours lies exceptional intelligence and resourcefulness, which both explain their success and have taught us much about animal behaviour. In Spotlight Crows, Mike Unwin introduces the UK's eight corvid species, outlining their fascinating natural history and offering essential identification tips. He also explores the mythology and folklore that have embedded these remarkable birds so deeply in our culture, from nursery rhymes to horror movies.
The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviour of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photography and informative expert text.

RSPB ID Spotlight – Garden Birds

Whether you are watching small birds at your garden bird feeder or a raptor soaring overhead, birds are everywhere. But could you recognise a Marsh Tit from a Coal Tit? Or distinguish between a Song Thrush and a Redwing? These are just a handful of the array of birds that are attracted to the UK's gardens to nest and feed.
RSPB ID Spotlight Garden Birds is a reliable fold-out chart that presents illustrations of 39 of our most widespread and familiar garden birds by renowned artist Stephen Message.
- Species are grouped by family and helpfully labelled to assist with identification
- Artworks are shown side by side for quick comparison and easy reference at home or in the field
- The reverse of the chart provides information on the habitats, behaviour, life cycles and diets of our garden birds, as well as the conservation issues they are facing and how the RSPB is working to support them
- Practical tips on how to make your own 'bird pastry' and put up nest boxes are also included
The ID Spotlight charts help wildlife enthusiasts identify and learn more about our most common species using accurate colour illustrations and informative, accessible text.

RSPB ID Spotlight - Wetland Birds

Whether you are listening to a flock of geese communicate as they fly overhead or watching a group of feeding waders on an estuary, wetland birds are among the UK's most gregarious and charming waterbirds. But do you know a Coot from a Moorhen? And can you tell the difference between a Wigeon and a Pochard? The UK's wildlife-rich freshwater habitats are home to a diverse collection of our most beautiful wild bird species.
RSPB ID Spotlight Wetland Birds is a reliable fold-out chart that presents illustrations of 51 of our most widespread and familiar wetland birds by renowned artist Stephen Message.
- Species are grouped by family and helpfully labelled to assist with identification
- Artworks are shown side by side for quick comparison and easy reference at home or in the field
- The reverse of the chart provides information on the habitats, behaviour, life cycles and diets of our wetland birds, as well as the conservation issues they are facing and how the RSPB is working to support them
- Practical tips on the most suitable foods to feed ducks and other waterbirds are also included
The ID Spotlight charts help wildlife enthusiasts identify and learn more about our most common species using accurate colour illustrations and informative, accessible text.

RSPB ID Spotlight - Birds of Prey

Whether it's a soaring eagle or a restlessly gliding owl, chances are you will know a bird of prey when you see one, and there is something in the way they fly that captivates our gaze. But can you tell a Goshawk from a Peregrine? Or distinguish between a Common Buzzard and Honey Buzzard in flight? The UK has just 16 species of raptors and five owls, but among them are some of the world's most spectacular birds.
RSPB ID Spotlight Birds of Prey is a reliable fold-out chart that presents illustrations of all 21 of the UK's birds of prey by renowned artist Stephen Message.
- Species are grouped by family and helpfully labelled to assist with identification
- Artworks are shown side by side for quick comparison and easy reference at home or in the field
- The reverse of the chart provides information on the habitats, behaviour, life cycles and diets of our birds of prey, as well as the conservation issues they are facing and how the RSPB is working to support them
- Information on successful UK raptor reintroductions and other campaigns that help our birds of prey are also included
The RSPB ID Spotlight charts help wildlife enthusiasts identify and learn more about our most common species using accurate colour illustrations and informative, accessible text.

RSPB ID Spotlight - Coastal Birds

Whether you are scanning cliff faces packed with auks or watching large seabirds dive underwater to find food, visiting a colony of coastal birds is an unforgettable experience. But can you tell a Razorbill from a Guillemot? Or accurately distinguish between a Fulmar and a Common Gull? The vast and varied coastline of the UK provides refuge for an enormous number of seabirds that visit our shores to breed or spend the winter months here.
RSPB ID Spotlight Coastal Birds is a reliable fold-out chart that presents illustrations of 44 of our most widespread and familiar coastal birds by renowned artist Stephen Message.
- Species are grouped by family and helpfully labelled to assist with identification
- Artworks are shown side by side for quick comparison and easy reference at home or in the field
- The reverse of the chart provides information on the habitats, behaviour, life cycles and diets of our coastal birds, as well as the conservation issues they are facing and how the RSPB is working to support them
- Advice on the best time of year to visit a seabird colony and practical tips on what we can all do to reduce the plastic waste that can end up in our seas are also included
The ID Spotlight charts help wildlife enthusiasts identify and learn more about our most common species using accurate colour illustrations and informative, accessible text.

RSPB ID Spotlight - Dragonflies and Damselflies

Watching dragonflies dart among the plants on a riverbank or at the edge of your pond is one of the joys of summer. But do you know a Southern Damselfly from a Variable Damselfly? Or can you tell the difference between a Scarce Chaser and a Keeled Skimmer? Dragonflies and damselflies - known collectively as Odonata - are some of our most fascinating insects. Although they only live for a short time, they have many behaviours that are easy to observe, including captivating aerial skills that they utilise to hunt in mid-air.
RSPB ID Spotlight Dragonflies and Damselflies is a reliable fold-out chart that presents illustrations of 42 of our most widespread and familiar Odonata by renowned artist Richard Lewington.
- Species are grouped by family and helpfully labelled to assist with identification
- Artworks are shown side by side for quick comparison and easy reference at home or in the field
- The reverse of the chart provides information on the habitats, behaviour, life cycles and diets of our dragonflies and damselflies, as well as the conservation issues they are facing and how the RSPB and other conservation charities are working to support them
- Practical tips on how to install a wildlife pond and make your garden more dragonfly- and damselfly-friendly are also included
The ID Spotlight charts help wildlife enthusiasts identify and learn more about our most common species using accurate colour illustrations and informative, accessible text.

RSPB Spotlight Ladybirds

Brightly coloured and pleasingly patterned, ladybirds are among some of our most beloved and familiar invertebrates. Their role in helping to protect our crops by devouring huge numbers of pests has firmly established these tiny, flying beetles as the gardeners' friend.
Spotlight Ladybirds focuses on the 26 species that are resident in the UK, from the widespread but unusual Orange Ladybird to the rare - and aptly named - Scarce 7-spot Ladybird. Ladybird expert, Richard Comont considers the conservation challenges facing these iconic species, whose populations are now at risk thanks to the threat posed by one of their own, the invasive alien Harlequin Ladybird. And he covers all aspects of ladybirds' biology, from tiny larvae emerging from their oval eggs to large aggregations that converge at specific sites around the world. Richard also examines the natural history and cultural significance of this fascinating group of beetles, from Ladybird Books to Thor.
The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photos and informative expert text.

RSPB Spotlight Bumblebees

Bumblebees are some of our most familiar insects, and are among the few that are almost universally viewed as 'friendly' - their low buzzing is the quintessential sound of our gardens in the summertime.
Spotlight Bumblebees considers all 24 UK bumblebee species, examining what made the group so successful and how circumstances have led to the survival of some species but the precipitous decline of the majority, highlighting the dangers we all face if populations continue to plummet. Separate chapters cover all aspects of bumblebees' biology and lifestyles, from spring queens emerging from dark overwintering chambers to establish their nests, to the drone swarms that herald the end of the bumblebee season. Bumblebees around the world are studied, including in the southern hemisphere where Europe's declining species can become harmful invaders. While the influence of bumblebees throughout our history and their place in our culture, from Shakespeare to Transformers, is also examined.

RSPB Spotlight Hares

With their wild glare, swift turn of foot and secretive nature, hares are the rabbit's mysterious and untameable cousin. Always a thrilling wildlife spot, the hare has long been a symbol of Britain's sweeping, open countryside. Hares have also been associated with human culture and folklore for many centuries - their associations with spring can be traced back to the druids.
Focussing on our two British species, the Brown Hare (found throughout the UK and widely distributed in Europe and Asia) and its more northerly relative the Mountain Hare (found in Scotland, Ireland, Scandinavia and the Russian Federation), RSPB Spotlight Hares offers exciting and up-to-date information on these incredible lagomorphs, with chapters covering their biology, evolution, natural history, behaviour, including courtship rituals, and ecology. Information on some of the more charismatic species of hare found elsewhere in the world and on hares' other relatives, the rabbits and pikas, is also provided.
The author discusses in detail Hares' interactions with humans, in agriculture, habitat management, shooting and hunting, as well as in more culinary matters, and reveals why this almost mythical animal of hill and meadow is so sensitive to the changes we make to age-old farming landscapes. The presence and significance of hares in our culture is also discussed, including the Easter hare, Lewis Carroll's mad March hare, and hares as shape-changers. Nancy Jennings also offers useful tips on where and how to see hares for yourself in the wild.

Many gardeners today would like to create more wildlife-friendly gardens, but may feel restricted by their situation, or put off by assuming that they will have to make huge changes to an established plot. This practical book will scotch any myths about wildlife gardening, and encourage everyone, wherever they garden, to invite wildlife to share their outdoor spaces. There are practical ideas for gardens of all sizes and in varied situations, with a special chapter on wildlife gardening in towns: the smallest shady garden can support a range of wildlife and even a window-box or hanging basket in an urban apartment block can make a difference, if you ensure ingredients like extra food in winter, plants that sustain insects and bright or aromatic plants are planted to attract animals and keep them returning. From the best sites for ponds to the right plants to feed various fauna, this book should ensure both you and the wildlife enjoy your garden as fully as possible.

A recognized authority on birdsong discusses the reasons why birds sing, covering a wide range of birds that might be found warbling or chirping in any backyard, including whippoorwills, wrens, woodcocks, thrushes, flycatchers, sparrows, and thrashers. 

Speech has long been thought of as a uniquely defining characteristic of humans. Yet song birds, like humans, communicate using learned signals (song, speech) that are acquired from their parents by a process of vocal imitation. Both song and speech begin as amorphous vocalizations (subsong, babble) that are gradually transformed into an individualized version of the parents' speech, including dialects. With contributions from both the founding forefathers and younger researchers of this field, this book provides a comprehensive summary of birdsong neurobiology, and identifies the common brain mechanisms underlying this achievement in both birds and humans. Written primarily for advanced graduates and researchers, there is an introductory overview covering song learning, the parallels between language and birdsong and the relationship between the brains of birds and mammals; subsequent sections deal with producing, processing, learning and recognizing song, as well as with hormonal and genomic mechanisms..

Learn the facts of bird sound while listening to over 200
beautiful exclusive stereo recordings from all over the world. Combining
anecdote, scientific theory and practical field experience, The Sound
Approach to Birding is a step-by-step guide through tone, pitch, rhythm,
reading sonagrams, acoustics, and using sounds to age and sex birds. It
explains how bird sounds are often the first indication of previously
unrecognised taxonomic splits, and explains how to identify them.

With The Sound Approach, you can maximise the use of sound in enhancing
your field skills, and improve your standards of identification, whatever
the level of your experience.