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| 1 | 2 |  » Stats |
Members: 50,128
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| | Welcome to our newest member, Dan_R | |  | 
12-06-2011, 12:28 PM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Carnoustie, Angus
Posts: 347
| | | Which bird book?
I have a lot of bird identification guides but I was wondering if any of you knew of any books with a lot of information and scientific facts mostly for British birds. Kind of like the geeky stuff Chris Packham tells us about on Springwatch. Thanks, Nicola.
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12-06-2011, 12:42 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: North Norfolk
Posts: 1,545
| | | Re: Which bird book?
Hi Nicola,
One of the best and most detailed I would think would be birds of the western paleartic. I have the two volume concise edition which has a lot of info in it but the main edition is 9 volumes I think. Not sure if it's still in print But version 2 is available on disc. Trouble us it's just under £150.
Cheers David  |
13-06-2011, 11:12 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Hemel Hempstead Herts
Posts: 1,510
| | | Re: Which bird book?
I dont htink you can ever have enough books...
i like my books and have several different ones , which all differ slightly, either wording or pictures/photos.
The collins bird guide 2nd ed.. is what i use alot but have several others with photos or other drawings....
Have a look round and see what you find is best for you....
That whay you can build up a collection... 
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13-06-2011, 03:54 PM
|  | Active Member | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Northampton
Posts: 68
| | | Re: Which bird book?
+1 for the Collins Guide, superb. |
13-06-2011, 04:07 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Near Peterborough
Posts: 7,099
| | | Re: Which bird book?
Quote:
Originally Posted by david156  Hi Nicola,
One of the best and most detailed I would think would be birds of the western paleartic. I have the two volume concise edition which has a lot of info in it but the main edition is 9 volumes I think. Not sure if it's still in print But version 2 is available on disc. Trouble us it's just under £150.
Cheers David | Collins is a great field guide but if you want proper detailed information on the what where whens and hows I'd also recommend Birds of the Western Palearctic (BWP).
For example, whereas in your standard bird guide you'd get an A5 page on each species if you're lucky, in the BWP you'd get nine larger pages of info. It covers everything from population size, differing plumages, everything they've ever been known to eat, line drawings of behaviour, preferred nest sites and heights (and much more!). The full nine volumes are largely out of print (and v expensive) but the interactive DVD is definitely worth its cost, you can choose between reading info from the full nine volume version or the 'concise' two volume version and you get sounds and a range of photographs that you wouldn't get in a field guide.
You can also get an App (for iphone/ Ipod touch) based strongly on the two volume 'concise' BWP with less info but sounds and photographs added for about £15 which I use a lot.
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Last edited by Gill Catton; 13-06-2011 at 04:17 PM.
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13-06-2011, 04:15 PM
|  | Moderator | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Belvedere, Kent
Posts: 10,025
| | | Re: Which bird book?
If you are after something beyond an identification guide then there are several that look good, although I haven't read any of them myself yet. I'd look at Birds Brittanica by Mark Cocker and Richard Mabey, Birds Britannia by Stephen Moss which looks like the book of the recent TV series, or While Flocks Last by Charlie Elder.
Consider the Birds by Colin Tudge is more worldwide than British but Tudge is a fine writer - I've read two of his books and several people on here have high praise for The Private Life of Trees. (The paperback edition of Consider the Birds was retitled The Private Life of Birds, just to keep us on our toes.)
All of these except Birds Britannia have the "Search Inside" feature on Amazon so you can read the blurb or look at the contents and index.
Dave P.
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13-06-2011, 04:17 PM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: South Yorkshire
Posts: 256
| | | Re: Which bird book?
Quote:
Originally Posted by actionfinch I dont htink you can ever have enough books...
i like my books and have several different ones , which all differ slightly, either wording or pictures/photos.
The collins bird guide 2nd ed.. is what i use alot but have several others with photos or other drawings....
Have a look round and see what you find is best for you....
That whay you can build up a collection... | Yes, grab as many guides as you can in order to cross reference for greater information. I love the Collins, but also a Larousse guide with drawings but good info in distinguishing species and my all time fave is Photographic Guide to The Birds of Britain and Europe by Delin and Svensson (don't know if this still in print, picked it up at 2nd hand shop  ) |
13-06-2011, 04:20 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: North Norfolk
Posts: 1,545
| | | Re: Which bird book?
Another good book is the Birdwatchers Handbook. Its not a field guide and has no pictures in it, but it gives detailed information about the species, nesting habitat etc.. It also has about 170 essays on "avian natural history"
Cheers David |
14-06-2011, 06:55 AM
| | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Carnoustie, Angus
Posts: 347
| | | Re: Which bird book?
Thanks guys you've been a big help. Will have a look at all of them and also do more browsing of my own
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14-06-2011, 08:10 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Aviemore
Posts: 2,134
| | | Re: Which bird book?
Another vote here for Birds of the Western Palearctic. I have it on CD-rom and got it just before Christmas as a special offer from the Birdguides website, I can't remember the exact cost, but it was below £100.
The advantage with the CD-rom is that for most species it has short films of the bird as well as recordings of songs and calls. There are fantastically detailed descriptions of plumage, weights, measurements, behaviour, breeding dispersion and more. Even at full price it would be great value.
Regards, Audrey. | | |
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