Birds of the UK Overseas Territories

Readers of British Birds will most likely be familiar with much of the content of this new publication from Poyser, which brings together 13 papers published over the past 12 years, each describing the birds of the various far-flung remnants of Britain’s colonial history. Each of these papers now forms a chapter that gives a detailed introduction to the ornithological interest of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs). The addition of the paper on the British Virgin Islands, which has not yet been published in British Birds, completes the set, along with a new introductory chapter explaining the importance of the UKOTs for global biodiversity. Many of the older papers include postscript updates on particularly pressing or long-running conservation issues, and some also provide new advice on travelling to and submitting records within the territories.

This book is a whistle-stop tour of some truly spectacular parts of the world, whipping from the arid slopes of Ascension Island to the frigid shores of South Georgia, to the tropical islands of the Caribbean and the white sandy beaches of Henderson Island in the Pacific Ocean. For the carbon-conscious birder this is a great summary of the birdlife of some places that you may be unlikely to visit, though for me it certainly invoked itchy-feet! Most of the UKOTs are islands or archipelagos, and so species endemism is high, meaning that each chapter has something new to offer, including those for UKOTs that are relatively close to one another such as Anguilla and Montserrat. As each territory is quite discreet (with the obvious exception of the vast British Antarctic Territory), at no point does the book become overwhelming with statistics and figures, providing population estimates in local and regional contexts. Given the length of time between authoring of each paper, there is no set layout for each chapter, but broadly they cover: a description of the breeding birds with special focus on endemics; an account of the migratory and vagrant birds that occur; habitats, climate and vegetation through time; a history of bird recording up to present, and; a run-through of past, current and expected conservation issues.

The UKOTs hold a wealth of biodiversity, but a recurring theme throughout the chapters is that despite the many thousands of miles of ocean that separate the them, the threats posed by invasive species, human development pressure and climate change are shared by them all. As pointed out in the introduction, the strange constitutional situation UKOTs find themselves in means that they have limited access to international or UK conservation funds. Much of the vital conservation work to protect fragile environments, safeguard unique island endemics and conserve globally threatened species is carried out by passionate local ornithologists and conservationists, and a particular highlight of this book is how it showcases local conservation success stories, such as the remarkable recovery of the Cahow (Pterodroma cahow) in Bermuda.

The individual chapters of this book are a good primer for visiting birders to each of the UKOTs, and provide helpful tips on spotting local specialties, where to visit and sometimes who to speak to. Given the disparate nature of the territories that the UK currently has responsibility for, the real value of this book is as a compilation of the immense diversity of life and environments that the UK has responsibility for beyond the shores of Britain. I feel this is a book that should be on the shelves of UK conservation policymakers as a reminder that some of the species and habitats we need to prioritise for conservation and research may not necessarily be right on our doorstep.

Book reviewed by Anthony Wetherhill