Undiscovered owls

We have come to expect a certain style and quality from The Sound Approach series and it is fair to say that this latest instalment holds up. Undiscovered Owls by Magnus Robb and the rest of The Sound Approach team is an extremely readable piece of work covering the wide range of owl species that occur in the Western Palearctic (now even wider with an account of the recently discovered Omani Owl). Understandably, there is a focus on the vocalisations of this charismatic group but the enthusiasm of the authors for the subject matter is present in abundance and this certainly helps hold the reader’s interest throughout.

The multitude of annotated sonograms are presented in quite an informal way and when considered in concert with the superbly varied sound recordings provided it really adds an extra dimension. There is food for thought for both birder and taxonomist alike in the species accounts with some interesting splits suggested such as that between Little Owl and the onomatopoeic Cucumiau. Overall the authors have done a good job at encouraging the reader to listen more when thinking about the ecology of the owls we see (or hear) around us and the relationships between them

The book includes 4 CDs.

Book reviewed by Gary Clewley