Book reviews

Book reviews

Read reviews of the books we hold in the Chris Mead Library, written by our in-house experts. A selection of book reviews also features in our members’ magazine, BTO News.

All the Birds of the World

Featured review

Lynx have had a long-term project to produce an exhaustive guide to the birds of the world. It started out with the 17 volumes of the Handbook of the Birds of the World (1992-2013) which has family and species accounts for all birds. This was followed by the two volumes of the Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World (2014-16). They have now published the third and final stage of this avian odyssey with this current book.

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            Handbook of Western Palearctic Birds: Passerines

            Author: Hadoram Shirihai & Lars Svensson

            Publisher: Christopher Helm, London

            Published: 2021

            Many ornithologists already have the multi-volume Birds of the Western Palearctic or the Concise BWP on their shelves. This new work covers almost the same ground geographically, though adding Iran and all of Arabia and following national boundaries across Africa, but it differs in concentrating on specific and racial identification, ageing and sexing. It is a massive step forward in these areas from the days of BWP, as would be expected from two of the foremost experts in these fields. Breeding and behaviour are not included: this is not a comprehensive ‘handbook’ in the tradition of Witherby and BWP. With the help of more than 5,000 superbly presented photos and 400 maps, however, we can find the very latest information on plumages, moults, calls and measurements – and how to clinch a difficult identification. The authors encourage the use of moult patterns to age birds in the field or from photographs, while the biometric information is clearly aimed more at ringers and museum workers.The photos and maps are all of very high quality and make these books fascinating to browse. Among the highlights for me are the inclusion of marginal species of which I was unaware, like Amethyst Starling, and vagrants such as Chestnut Bunting and Black-naped Monarch. A few established introductions, such as Red Avadavat, are helpfully included but not others – Red-billed Leiothrix, for example.In their ordering of families, the authors reject all recent scientific advances and revert to the work of Voous in the 1970s, on the grounds that our knowledge of avian evolution is still incomplete. This puts, for example, wagtails into the first volume and corvids into the second, which many BTO members would no longer expect. In contrast to this conservative approach, they have independently reassessed species boundaries and the divisions between races, recognising no previous authority. This a step back from the global unity of taxonomic opinion that most birdwatchers eagerly await.I will certainly be consulting this book next time I encounter a passerine I can’t confidently identify. These pages comprise all the options, along with priceless hints and caveats and are – though apparently some photos have been miscaptioned – as comprehensive and authoritative as anyone could wish. Two non-passerine volumes are planned to follow at intervals of three to four years. Book reviewed by John Marchant 

            The Birds of Wales/Adar Cymru

            Author: Rhion Pritchard(Editor), Julian Hughes(Editor), Ian M Spence(Editor), Bob Haycock(Editor) & Anne Brenchley(Editor)

            Publisher: Liverpool University Press, Liverpool

            Published: 2021

            This impressive tome from the Welsh Ornithological Society is the third full avifauna for Wales, following 1994’s original Birds in Wales (Lovegrove, Williams & Williams) and a subsequent update volume, Birds in Wales 1992-2000 (Green). The new volume is the first to include data from the 21st century, during which rapid changes in the population status and distributions of many species have occurred, making it a particularly valuable addition to the ornithological literature.The Birds of Wales was a big team effort: edited by an elite team of five including two BTO Regional Representatives, and with a further 46 authors (including BTO staff and volunteers) contributing species accounts. This is to the clear benefit of the book, authors having had the ability to write about their species of expertise, as well as the time to write well-researched and detailed accounts for every species. It is beautifully illustrated with a scattering of photographs generously donated by a number of photographers: most, but not all, resident breeding and wintering species are represented. Some of the atlases on my shelves compromise on quality in order to include a photograph of every species, but for this volume, the editors appear to have erred on the side of including only high-quality images.The book itself is a premium hardback publication from Liverpool University Press, leaving nothing to be desired in terms of design, print, or production quality. Carrying it into the field would be brave, but it would be the perfect addition to (or even replacement for!) a coffee table. The text is in English, but speakers of Cymraeg will hopefully appreciate the inclusion of a Welsh name for each species alongside its English and binomial monikers (all summarised and accessible through an additional Welsh-language species index).Although it largely follows the formula of an atlas, it’s important to realise that this is not an atlas. Whilst the formulaic consistency of presentation from species to species that can be found in atlases is often reassuring (and facilitates between-species comparison), freedom from this approach has allowed the authors and editors of The Birds of Wales the flexibility to pick and choose which graphs are of most interest on a species-by-species basis. For example, we are shown how Spotted Flycatcher (Gwybedog Mannog) counts vary throughout the year, giving a sense of the timing of their migration, but given a map of Pied Flycatcher (Gwybedog Brith) ringing recoveries, illustrating their migration pathways from Welsh breeding populations down to Africa. Even species now absent from Wales except as vagrants are given fair treatment; for example, a fascinating map in the Nightingale (Eos) entry illustrates the distribution of place-names containing “Eos” in Wales - like beavers and cranes, our cultural heritage suggests that this species may once have been more widespread in Wales.Writing as a relative newcomer to the BTO’s Cymru office, this is already proving to be an invaluable reference for information on species ecology and demography in Wales, with well-thumbed pages on Cormorant (Mulfran), Goosander (Hwyaden Ddanheddog), White-fronted Goose (Gŵydd Dalcenwen), and of course Curlew (Gylfinir) in particular! It will be of use and interest to those based elsewhere in the UK and abroad, but Welsh-based birders and ornithologists should not be without a copy.Book reviewed by Callum Macgregor 

            Bird: Exploring the Winged World

            Author: Phaidon Editors(Editor), Katrina van Grouw(Introduction By) & Jen Lobo(Contributor)

            Publisher: Phaidon Press, London

            Published: 2021

            This is the perfect coffee table book for when it’s so cold and wet that you’ve decided to postpone your birdwatching session: this rich visual survey of artworks will cure your ‘fomo’ on birds and museums.From cave drawings to Egyptian sculptures to 17th-century Dutch paintings to the Twitter logo, this book encompasses a great overview in time which emphasizes the longevity of human admiration for birds, represented here in a wide range of techniques including fine art, photography, ornithological drawings, sculptures and fashion. The ubiquity of birds in visual representation does not only highlight their omnipresence in our daily lives, but also reminds us that they are inspiring subject matter, one that actively contributes to the way we interact with the world and other living beings.Rather than being classified in alphabetical or chronological order, the works have been beautifully arranged in pairs, with mirroring visual details which both contrast and highlight one another’s original components. On one side, you might have an 18th-century Japanese woodblock print of pigeons and sparrows (p. 122), depicted with fine, sharp outlines, allowing the intricate details of the round feathers and spotted plumage to attract the eye of the viewer, in comparison with the juxtaposed work, a 21st-century photograph taken on ground level (p. 123), revealing a blurry, cropped pigeon taking a step towards the left, and behind it, the legs of passers-by coincidentally walking in the same direction. Although these works portray the pigeon under different lights, by drawing the viewer’s attention to either details or movement, both intrinsically reveal a sense of care and concern about representing these – often despised – living beings that are so present in our everyday lives.By celebrating the extremely rich diversity of birds, this book reflects the power of art to offer alternative, aesthetic and affective ways of shifting the place often occupied by humans at the centre of ethical reflection, to instead focus on other, rich and differentiated modes of existence, in order to refine our sensibility to the living world. Book reviewed by Anna Dupont-Crabtree

            Seabirds: The New Identification Guide

            Author: Peter Harrison, Martin Perrow & Hans Larsson

            Publisher: Lynx Edicions, Barcelona

            Published: 2021

            For many, seabirds are a bit of a mystery in that they occupy a world that for most is largely inaccessible. However, during the last couple of decades pelagic tours, both daily and for longer periods, have grown in popularity and have brought some of the world’s seabirds within reach, so a new identification guide to this amazing group of birds couldn’t have come at a better time.Much has changed since Peter Harrison’s Seabirds: An Identification Guide was published back in 1983. Back then, the author described the 107 known species of tubenoses with his guide; due to taxonomic advances that number has risen to 170.Within its 600 pages, Seabirds: The New Identification Guide describes 434 species from 18 families, with all but one illustrated. I often wonder how many people read the introductory pages of field guides but to not read the preface and the acknowledgements pages at the beginning of this book would be to seriously miss out. Peter Harrison takes the reader on a voyage of discovery that continues to this day and his passion shines throughout the book.The species accounts are a delight, with wonderful up-to-date illustrations and the latest information captured by the succinct accompanying text, which also contains a map of the distribution of each and every bird described.For anyone with an interest in the world’s seabirds this book is a must, but it doesn’t stop there - this is a book for anyone with an interest in birds and one not to be missed.Book reviewed by Paul Stancliffe 

            Birdpedia: A Brief Compendium of Avian Lore

            Author: Christopher W Leahy(Author) & Abby McBride(Illustrator)

            Publisher: Princeton University Press, Princeton

            Published: 2021

            Birdpedia is an eclectic and entertaining read. It follows an A–Z format, taking the reader from ‘Abundance’ to ‘Zugenruhe’. Along the way, we learn about everything from ornithological pioneers and poetry, to bird evolution, physiology, taxonomy, behaviour, the many threats that have faced birds in the past and those they continue to face today.The style is conversational, with a good dose of humour. Readers will find sections on ‘Air Conditioning (Do Birds Sweat?)’ and ‘Jizz (Not What You’re Thinking)’, and if you’ve ever wanted to know the answer to questions like whether birds fart, then this is the book for you! There are several quirky ideas that stuck in my mind, like the author’s suggestion that the Pliocene would be the best time in the planet’s past for a birder to visit if time machines should ever be invented, with up to 150,000 potential ticks! These more off-the-cuff excepts are balanced by serious and academic entries, and this book is packed full of information, presented in a wonderfully accessible way.As the author is American, it’s unsurprising that book feels US-centric. The units given for facts like the largest birds are all imperial in the first instance, many of the ornithologists mentioned worked on the other side of the Atlantic, and the sections on folklore similarly focus on that region (all 60-odd colloquial names for the Ruddy Duck are listed in one chapter, for example). However, that does not give it a parochial feel, and the book should appeal to people interested in birds no matter where they happen to live.The book itself is pocket-sized, should you ever wish to carry it around and dip in and out of the fantastic facts contained in its pages. Its words are complemented by charming sketches by Abby McBride, which further broaden its appeal. If you’re looking for a light-hearted yet informative Christmas present for a bird-loving friend or family member this year, then you won’t go too far wrong with Birdpedia.Book reviewed by Viola Ross-Smith 

            Birds of Lincolnshire

            Author: Colin Casey, John Clarkson, Phil Espin & Phil Hyde

            Publisher: Lincolnshire Bird Club

            Published: 2021

            The last comprehensive review of Lincolnshire’s birds was completed more than three decades ago, so this book will undoubtably serve as a timely and eagerly awaited update. Produced on behalf of Lincolnshire Bird Club, this book aims to document the status of every bird species that has occurred in the county and report on the changes concerning their population and distribution since the last publication. By this virtue it also serves to showcase Lincolnshire’s birdlife and habitats to anyone unfamiliar with the county, so I thought it was perhaps a missed opportunity not to use a more representative and relevant species for the front cover instead of using artwork, superb as it is, depicting an historic occurrence of vagrant Pallas’s Sandgrouse. As you would expect, the main content concentrates on the population trends and change status of for each species - supported by distribution maps, tables and trend graphs where applicable. Key contextual information is also provided using Breeding Bird Survey population index comparisons with the East Midlands and England.A considerable amount has been packed into each page, resulting in the text appearing condensed and not the most comfortable to read at first glance. However, the quality and consistency of the respective images is overall exceptional and shows how far bird photography has progressed in the last few decades. It is a pity the majority of the photos were not credited, although the authors do acknowledge this at the start. I thought it was a clever addition to include images of key birding sites and landscapes characteristic of Lincolnshire. This gives context to the subject matter and helps pull it away from functioning merely as reference tool. This is the type of publication you use to look up one species account and end reading a dozen more in the process – an indication of its significant value as a source for information. Aside from the minor editorial and formatting criticisms, this book is once again a fine example of the immeasurable work of bird recorders, reflected up and down the country, and a celebration of their combined efforts. To compile and report these records is an enormous undertaking, and the authors should be proud of this remarkable achievement. An essential book even if you have just a passing interest in Lincolnshire birdlife.Book reviewed by David Norfolk 

            Vagrancy in Birds

            Author: Alexander Lees & James Gilroy

            Publisher: Helm, London

            Published: 2021

            Avian vagrancy is a phenomenon that has fascinated natural historians for centuries. From Victorian collectors willing to spend fortunes on a rare specimen, to today’s high-octane bird-chasing ‘twitchers’, the enigma of vagrancy has become a source of obsession for countless birders worldwide.The ‘twitching’ scene in Britain is well established with reports of large numbers gathering at the site of a rare bird often being reported in the mainstream press. However, this practice isn’t confined to Britain and vagrancy in birds occurs across the globe. For the first time, this book, in no short order, explores the how and the why of bird vagrancy on a global scale, exploring in great detail how birds navigate and the driving forces that find some birds thousands of kilometres from their intended location, and even on different continents from the one they set out for.My personal favourite chapter, Vagrancy Through Compass Errors, works through the various vagrancy hypotheses and makes for fascinating reading. I really enjoyed reading through the ideas on how reverse migration, mirror-image misorientation, compass errors and the axis of migration might work on a migrant bird and how each of these might explain how ‘lost’ birds end up where they do.The first 71 pages takes us through all of the possible causes of vagrancy in birds, from compass errors, wind drift and overshooting to extreme weather, irruptions and human-driven vagrancy and sets the scene for the bulk of the book, where the authors look at vagrancy family by family, exploring why some are more prone to vagrancy than others – ever thought why Nearctic herons are so rare here and yet are frequent visitors to the Azores out in the mid-Atlantic? The authors suggest that their southerly breeding distribution in the States may well be why – eight species of Nearctic herons have been found on the Azores, compared to four in Britain.There are over 300 mouthwatering photographs of rare birds from across the globe illustrating the various sections of the book and these are stunning, making me go back to the book again and again just to look through them. However, this is a book that should be read from cover to cover, to not do so would be to miss out on an awful lot, that said, the way the book is put together does mean that it can be dipped into. I found myself skipping to a family of birds to see which species were most likely to be prone to vagrancy, and when and where they might turn up.Being able to look at bird families from across the globe and the chances of vagrancy affecting individual birds within them is one of the most interesting things I have read on birds for a long time.This is a book I will definitely add to my bookshelf.Book reviewed by Paul Stancliffe 

            Human, Nature

            Author: Ian Carter

            Publisher: Pelagic Publishing

            Published: 2021

            The judges of Bird Book of the Year 2021 enjoyed the straight-talking and balanced approach taken by the author in addressing issues that others may have skirted. Ian’s personal knowledge around the complexities of many of the subjects shines through, as does his personal passion and love for the natural world. Since the book is part autobiographical, part philosophical and part practical, the judges felt that every reader would find something here that they were interested in – or something they didn’t know. 

            Short-eared Owls

            Author: Bryan Benn

            Publisher: Bryan Benn

            Published: 2021

            This book is a remarkable achievement. It describes one man’s study of Short-eared Owls over 10 years across different parts of Britain. While the main strengths of the book are those personal observations supported by a collection of stunning photographs (again the work of one man), Bryan Benn has put these into context in a series of carefully thought out chapters. Subjects covered include appearance, habitats, behaviour (including breeding, hunting and social), movements, voice and conservation. While some observations are placed successfully into context, only a limited amount of literature appears to have been reviewed. As a result this is not a definitive monograph but as Short-eared Owls remain poorly understood, it is a valuable source of information. I will certainly be using it repeatedly. It is even more remarkable when you consider this is the result of one man’s work, not just the observations and photographs but notably the determination to write and self-publish what is a very attractive book. Not only a valuable addition to information about a poorly understood species, this book also demonstrates many things that others could aspire to – tenacity to study a bird, meticulous recording of observations and determination to make it all accessible.The book is available from the cafe at Elmley NNR at £30 per copy to visitors, or £35 plus P&P for online sales. Book reviewed by John Calladine 
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