• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Starting a Birding library (1 Viewer)

romancitizen

Well-known member
I am fairly new to birding,and am about to start buying some books on the subject, the anniversary of my birth being imminent. Can experts amongst you recommend a basic 'required reading' list.

I have a copy of Collins for out in the field, also have Gerard Gorman's recent book on Woodpeckers.

Forsman's book on Raptors has been recomended to me, but what about other groups of birds - Owls for instance ?

Is a book like 'Birds in England', Poyser's recent offering, worth buying, or is it too generalised ?

As I am just starting, I do not anticipate birding outside of Europe, at least for the time being, so 'World' books are not required (unless 'best in breed').
 
Last edited:
'Birds in England' would cerainly be useful in any English birder's library, as it puts everything in context so well.

I would also get the large edition of the Collins birdguide, as well as the field guide version that you have.

Beyond that it depends on your fields of interest. A world birder's library (mine anyway) fills seven book cases and more!!

Steve
 
For World birds the by now rather famous series "Handbook of the Birds of the World" would be very difficult to beat. It's an ongoing project that I truly can recommend - the problem is that the price may put you off if you're just getting started...
 
Even if you just have the Collins guide, I would call it a fairly complete beginners collection. For quite a long time everything else is optional. You might consider putting the money on magazines instead, to get inspiration and a occasionaly a few tips.

If you want more books anyway, two categories might be useful:
1) books devoted to tricky groups of bird species. This is in particular useful for gulls, seabirds and birds of prey. Books I can recommend are "Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America (Malling-Olsen & Larsson)" and "Flight Identification of European Seabirds (Blomdahl, Breife & Holmström)"
2) books describing sites where you can find birds are also very useful if you leave your local area.

You might also want to add guides from other parts of the world just for the fun and for inspiration even if you never intend to go to the places.

/Sven
 
For £50 the two volume concise BWP (Birds of the Western Palearctic) is essential. Whilst the Collins will help you ID the birds you see, BWP will actually tell you about their behaviour, their migration, their numbers, what they eat, their breeding habits etc, etc, in explicit detail. You'll actually learn 'about' the birds rather than just be able to ID them. If you want a book solely on UK species then 'The RSPB Handbook of British Birds' (Cleeves/Holden) does a similar job, just as well, but in less detail. Its a tenner well spent.
 
I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE READING OF "BLUFF YOUR WAY IN BIRDWATCHING" (OVAL PROJECTS LTD.), ALTHOUGH I'M AFRAID IT'S OUT OF PRINT. QUITE MEANINFUL BOOK. ;)

",
romancitizen said:
I am fairly new to birding,and am about to start buying some books on the subject, the anniversary of my birth being imminent. Can experts amongst you recommend a basic 'required reading' list.

I have a copy of Collins for out in the field, also have Gerard Gorman's recent book on Woodpeckers.

Forsman's book on Raptors has been recomended to me, but what about other groups of birds - Owls for instance ?

Is a book like 'Birds in England', Poyser's recent offering, worth buying, or is it too generalised ?

As I am just starting, I do not anticipate birding outside of Europe, at least for the time being, so 'World' books are not required (unless 'best in breed').
 
Steve Lister said:
'Birds in England' would cerainly be useful in any English birder's library, as it puts everything in context so well.

A copy of Birds in England arrived yesterday, you are absolutely correct in saying that. Loads of info, including a gratifying amount about my local area.

Time to read, learn and inwardly digest.
 
Sven W said:
Even if you just have the Collins guide, I would call it a fairly complete beginners collection. For quite a long time everything else is optional. You might consider putting the money on magazines instead, to get inspiration and a occasionaly a few tips.

If you want more books anyway, two categories might be useful:
1) books devoted to tricky groups of bird species. This is in particular useful for gulls, seabirds and birds of prey. Books I can recommend are "Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America (Malling-Olsen & Larsson)" and "Flight Identification of European Seabirds (Blomdahl, Breife & Holmström)"

Sven, you have hit on the one group of birds I absolutely loathe ! if you lived where I do you might feel the same, they are an absolute menace. The herring gull has blighted my view of gulls for ever.

One book I would like to find is a guide to European owls, anyone got any suggestions ?
 
Warning! This thread is more than 19 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top