Life of Birds (1 Viewer)

My Kids have just bought me the Full BBC DVD set.

I know it will be good!

But how Good? B

I think this is Attenborough's best work. You will love it.

Second Andrew 100%, best he's ever done.

Mick

it's really good. you'll love it.
there's some amazing footage of bird behaviour you would never knew existed.

no chance of a swap for the book version then?

It is a brilliant piece of work, I have watched it more times than I can remember. Enjoy !

It's superb. You'll enjoy ... as we have time and again.


cheers,
jim

Amazing work! I'm now watching "The life of mammals" and it's just as good!

Mike

Got it off e-bay for my birthday as it's one of those series thats a joy to own!
The other favourite of mine is the Blue Planet - lots of stunning underwater footage.
Seem to remember Life in the Freezer was a good one too.......its difficult to know where to stop when praising DA's progs.

I have just finished the first disc (one of three). What a Fantastic Fantastic brilliant DVD.
People ask me from time to time as an ex bike racer would you do it all over again or who do you admire the most?
They expect valentino Rossi, or Mick doohan, Barry Sheene but i say David Attenborough.........I think they are usually shocked at first but then they think.Yeah i can see what you mean, that just shows the respect for the man.
I believe he was about the 40th best brit in history recently, and so he should be.
The photography is 'out of this world' and many times i replayed clips. The hummingbird, the Albatross crash landing,the flamingos i could go on ,the first disc in total in time has taken me about 8 hours! I just replay clips all the time.
The Kiwi, Fantastic.................

Anyway i might finish it by Christmas but don't bet on it :news:

Blue Planet dazzled me more

Steve Jones said:

The other favourite of mine is the Blue Planet - lots of stunning underwater footage.

Click to expand...

Having recently checked both series, in their entireties, out from Netflix here in the US, I have to say the production values on Blue Planet set it above anything else I've ever seen. It's easy to understand why they released a theatrical film made up of excerpts. The series is infinitely preferable, largely due to the happy presence of Attenborough's narration.

Life of Birds I would describe as par for a big time nature series, actually. Better episodes of "Nature" from PBS here are probably superior to it in my book. Back in the days when George Page was the voice of Nature, it could raise the hair on your arm.

Definitely a great volume on birds with lots of interesting information very well presented. I have watched it twice and am sure I will watch it again. One nice thing about it is its organisation into distinct topics and includes birds from all over the world. Wonderful recording of bird bebaviour and of course credits also go to the great narrative by DA.

You may be interested in the complete list of bird species featured in the series, as released by the makers when it came out. I have it on a Word for Windows 6.0 file which I cannot open! If someone can tell me how to open it I'll copy and paste it on to here.

Hi Andy
I am presuming you haven't got word on your PC, same here but a while ago I did some Googling and found a free download to open Word documents for reading, works for me, I have also got one for Powerpoint, they are out there I just can't remember were though.

Mick

Alli & Dave Free said:

My Kids have just bought me the Full BBC DVD set.

I know it will be good!

But how Good? B

Click to expand...

watch out for the Buff-breasted Sandpiper courtship footage ... fantastic stuff

Mickymouse said:

Hi Andy
I am presuming you haven't got word on your PC, same here but a while ago I did some Googling and found a free download to open Word documents for reading, works for me, I have also got one for Powerpoint, they are out there I just can't remember were though.

Mick

Click to expand...

Thanks Mick. Done that, copied the list and here it is:

LIFE OF BIRDS SPECIES LIST

OSTRICH, Struthio camelus
GREATER RHEA, Rhea americana
BROWN KIWI, Apteryx australis
GREAT SPOTTED KIWI, Apteryx haastii
WATTLED GUAN, Aburria aburri
YELLOW-KNOBBED CURASSOW, Crax daubentoni
MALEO, Macrocephalon maleo
JAPANESE QUAIL, Coturnix japonica
TEMMINCK'S TRAGOPAN, Tragopan temminckii
HIMALAYAN MONAL, Lophophorus impejanus
BULWER'S PHEASANT, Lophura bulweri
GREAT ARGUS, Argusianus argus
INDIAN PEAFOWL (PEACOCK), Pavo cristatus
WILLOW PTARMIGAN (RED GROUSE), Lagopus lagopus
WESTERN CAPERCAILLIE, Tetrao urogallus
BRAZILIAN EMERALD, Amaziila sp.
MAGPIE GOOSE, Anseranas semipalmata
MUSK DUCK, Biziura lobata
BLACK-HEADED DUCK, Heteronetta atricapilla
MUTE SWAN, Cygnus olor
BLACK SWAN, Cygnus atratus
SNOW GOOSE, Anser caerulescens
CANADA GOOSE, Branta canadensis
BARNACLE GOOSE, Branta leucopsis
BRENT GOOSE, Branta bernicla
EGYPTIAN GOOSE, Alopochen aegyptiacus
TORRENT DUCK, Merganetta armata
MALLARD, Anas platyrhynchos
COMMON POCHARD, Aythya ferina
CANVASBACK, Aythya valisineria
REDHEAD, Aythya americana
TUFTED DUCK, Aythya fuligula
COMMON EIDER, Somateria mollissima
SPECTACLED EIDER, Somateria fischeri
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, Bucephala islandica
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, Mergus serrator
ACORN WOODPECKER, Melanerpes formicivorus
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, Sphyrapicus varius
GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, Dendrocopos major
RUFOUS WOODPECKER, Celeus brachyurus
MAGELLANIC WOODPECKER, Campephilus magellanicus
GREEN-EARED BARBET, Megalaima faiostricta
MOUSTACHED BARBET, Megalaima incognita
RED-BREASTED TOUCAN, Ramphastos dicolorus
RED-BILLED TOUCAN, Ramphastos tucanus
TOCO TOUCAN, Ramphastos toco
RUFOUS-TAILED JACAMAR, Galbula ruficauda
GREAT HORNBILL, Buceros bicornis
SULAWESI RED-KNOBBED HORNBILL, Aceros cassidix
BLACK-AND-WHITE-CASQUED HORNBILL, Ceratogymna subcylindricus
RESPLENDENT QUETZAL, Pharomachrus mocinno
LAUGHING KOOKABURRA, Dacelo novaeguineae
PIED KINGFISHER, Ceryle rudis
WHITE-FRONTED BEE-EATER, Merops bullockoides
WHITE-BACKED MOUSEBIRD, Colius colius
COMMON CUCKOO, Cuculus canorus
SHINING BRONZE-CUCKOO, Chrysococcyx lucidus
DIEDERIC CUCKOO, Chrysococcyx caprius
HOATZIN, Opisthocomus hoazin
RAINBOW LORIKEET, Trichoglossus haematodus
PALM COCKATOO, Probosciger aterrimus
SULPHUR-CRESTED COCKATOO, Cacatua galerita
KEA, Nestor notabilis
NEW ZEALAND KAKA, Nestor meridionalis
CRIMSON ROSELLA, Platycercus elegans
BUDGERIGAR, Melopsittacus undulatus
KAKAPO, Strigops habroptilus
VERNAL HANGING-PARROT, Loriculus vernalis
BURROWING PARAKEET (PATAGONIAN CONURE), Cyanoliseus patagonus
SWIFT SP. (POSS. SCARCE SWIFT), Apus sp.
SWIFT SP. II, Apus sp.
GREAT DUSKY SWIFT, Cypseloides senex
AFRICAN PALM-SWIFT, Cypsiurus parvus
HERMIT SP., Glaucis sp.
BLACK JACOBIN, Melanotrochilus fuscus
SPARKLING VIOLET-EAR, Colibri coruscans
BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD, Cynanthus latirostris
WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD, Hylocharis leucotis
VIOLET-CAPPED HUMMINGBIRD, Goldmania violiceps
STREAMERTAIL, Trochilus polytmus
WHITE-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, Leucochloris albicollis
BRAZILIAN RUBY, Clytolaema rubricauda
ANDEAN HILLSTAR, Oreotrochilus estella
GIANT HUMMINGBIRD, Patagona gigas
SWORD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD, Ensifera ensifera
BLACK-TAILED TRAINBEARER, Lesbia victoriae
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, Archilochus colubris
BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD, Archilochus alexandri
AMETHYST WOODSTAR, Calliphlox amethystina
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, Selasphorus rufus
BANNERMAN'S TURACO, Tauraco bannermani
BARN OWL, Tyto alba
WHITE-FACED SCOPS-OWL, Otus leucotis
SNOWY OWL, Nyctea scandiaca
GREAT GREY OWL, Strix nebulosa
OILBIRD, Steatornis caripensis
GREAT POTOO, Nyctibius grandis
ROCK PIGEON, Columba livia
COMMON WOOD-PIGEON, Columba palumbus
MARIANA FRUIT-DOVE, Ptilinopus roseicapilla
NEW ZEALAND PIGEON, Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae
SUNBITTERN, Eurypyga helias
SANDHILL CRANE, Grus canadensis
WHOOPING CRANE, Grus americana
RED-LEGGED SERIEMA, Cariama cristata
KAGU, Rhynochetos jubatus
WEKA, Gallirallus australis
LORD HOWE RAIL, Gallirallus sylvestris
TAKAHE, Porphyrio mantelli
COMMON MOORHEN, Gallinula chloropus
COMMON COOT, Fulica atra
NAMAQUA SANDGROUSE, Pterocles namaqua
BAR-TAILED GODWIT, Limosa lapponica
MARBLED GODWIT, Limosa fedoa
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, Limnodromus scolopaceus
SURFBIRD, Aphriza virgata
RED KNOT, Calidris canutus
SANDERLING, Calidris alba
WESTERN SANDPIPER, Calidris mauri
CURLEW SANDPIPER, Calidris ferruginea
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, Tryngites subruficollis
RED PHALAROPE, Phalaropus fulicaria
AFRICAN JACANA, Actophilornis africanus
WATTLED JACANA, Jacana jacana
BLACK-WINGED STILT, Himantopus himantopus
BANDED STILT, Cladorhynchus leucocephalus
PIED AVOCET, Recurvirostra avosetta
AMERICAN AVOCET, Recurvirostra americana
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, Pluvialis dominica
TWO-BANDED PLOVER, Charadrius falklandicus
GREATER SAND PLOVER, Charadrius leschenaultii
WRYBILL, Anarhynchus frontalis
CRAB PLOVER, Dromas ardeola
TEMMINCK'S COURSER, Cursorius temminckii
BLACK SKIMMER, Rynchops niger
KELP GULL, Larus dominicanus
GLAUCOUS GULL, Larus hyperboreus
HERRING GULL, Larus argentatus
GREY-HEADED GULL, Larus cirrocephalus
BROWN-HOODED GULL, Larus maculipennis
LAVA GULL, Larus fuliginosus
SWALLOW-TAILED GULL, Creagrus furcatus
COMMON TERN, Sterna hirundo
SOOTY TERN, Sterna fuscata
BROWN NODDY, Anous stolidus
COMMON WHITE-TERN, Gygis alba
LITTLE AUK, Alle alle
PIGEON GUILLEMOT, Cepphus columba
ANCIENT MURRELET, Synthliboramphus antiquus
TUFTED PUFFIN, Fratercula cirrhata
OSPREY, Pandion haliaetus
BLACK KITE, Milvus migrans
WHISTLING KITE, Haliastur sphenurus
WHITE-BELLIED FISH-EAGLE, Haliaeetus leucogaster
AFRICAN FISH-EAGLE, Haliaeetus vocifer
LAMMERGEIER, Gypaetus barbatus
EURASIAN GRIFFON, Gyps fulvus
CAPE GRIFFON, Gyps coprotheres
LAPPET-FACED VULTURE, Torgos tracheliotus
AFRICAN HARRIER-HAWK, Polyboroides typus
EURASIAN SPARROWHAWK, Accipiter nisus
NORTHERN GOSHAWK, Accipiter gentilis
HARRIS'S HAWK, Parabuteo unicinctus
ROADSIDE HAWK, Buteo magnirostris
BROAD-WINGED HAWK, Buteo platypterus
SWAINSON'S HAWK, Buteo swainsoni
GALAPAGOS HAWK, Buteo galapagoensis
RED-TAILED HAWK, Buteo jamaicensis
COMMON BUZZARD, Buteo buteo
GOLDEN EAGLE, Aquila chrysaetos
CROWNED HAWK-EAGLE, Stephanoaetus coronatus
YELLOW-HEADED CARACARA, Milvago chimachima
COMMON KESTREL, Falco tinnunculus
LANNER FALCON, Falco biarmicus
PRAIRIE FALCON, Falco mexicanus
PEREGRINE FALCON, Falco peregrinus
GREAT CRESTED GREBE, Podiceps cristatus
WESTERN GREBE, Aechmophorus occidentalis
CLARK'S GREBE, Aechmophorus clarkii
CAPE GANNET, Morus capensis
BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY, Sula nebouxii
MASKED BOOBY, Sula dactylatra
RED-FOOTED BOOBY, Sula sula
ANHINGA, Anhinga anhinga
AFRICAN DARTER, Anhinga rufa
LONG-TAILED CORMORANT, Phalacrocorax africanus
FLIGHTLESS CORMORANT, Phalacrocorax harrisi
SPOTTED SHAG, Phalacrocorax punctatus
REDDISH EGRET, Egretta rufescens
BLACK HERON, Egretta ardesiaca
LITTLE EGRET, Egretta garzetta
WESTERN REEF-EGRET, Egretta gularis
GREAT EGRET, Casmerodius albus
CATTLE EGRET, Bubulcus ibis
AMERICAN BITTERN, Botaurus lentiginosus
HAMERKOP, Scopus umbretta
GREATER FLAMINGO, Phoenicopterus ruber
LESSER FLAMINGO, Phoenicopterus minor
IBIS SP.,
AFRICAN SPOONBILL, Platalea alba
SHOEBILL, Balaeniceps rex
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
BROWN PELICAN, Pelecanus occidentalis
BLACK VULTURE, Coragyps atratus
TURKEY VULTURE, Cathartes aura
ANDEAN CONDOR, Vultur gryphus
YELLOW-BILLED STORK, Mycteria ibis
ASIAN OPENBILL, Anastomus oscitans
AFRICAN OPENBILL, Anastomus lamelligerus
ABDIM'S STORK, Ciconia abdimii
MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD, Fregata magnificens
GREAT FRIGATEBIRD, Fregata minor
EMPEROR PENGUIN, Aptenodytes forsteri
LITTLE PENGUIN, Eudyptula minor
GALAPAGOS PENGUIN, Spheniscus mendiculus
COMMON LOON, Gavia immer
CAPE PETREL, Daption capense
PROVIDENCE PETREL, Pterodroma solandri
STREAKED SHEARWATER, Calonectris leucomelas
SOOTY SHEARWATER, Puffinus griseus
AUDUBON'S SHEARWATER, Puffinus lherminieri
WANDERING ALBATROSS, Diomedea exulans
WAVED ALBATROSS, Diomedea irrorata
SHY ALBATROSS (WHITE-CAPPED ALBATROSS), Diomedea cauta
YELLOW-NOSED ALBATROSS, Diomedea chlororhynchos
WHITE-VENTED STORM-PETREL, Oceanites gracilis
AFRICAN BROADBILL, Smithornis capensis
BELTED FLYCATCHER, Xenotriccus callizonus
CATTLE TYRANT, Machetornis rixosus
WHITE-TIPPED PLANTCUTTER, Phytotoma rutila
SCREAMING PIHA, Lipaugus vociferans
CAPUCHINBIRD, Perissocephalus tricolor
BARE-THROATED BELLBIRD, Procnias nudicollis
GUIANAN COCK-OF-THE-ROCK, Rupicola rupicola
SWALLOW-TAILED MANAKIN (BLUE MANAKIN), Chiroxiphia caudata
SUPERB LYREBIRD, Menura novaehollandiae
VOGELKOP BOWERBIRD, Amblyornis inornatus
SUPERB FAIRYWREN, Malurus cyaneus
CARDINAL HONEYEATER (CARDINAL MYZOMELA), Myzomela cardinalis
TUI, Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
YELLOW-RUMPED THORNBILL, Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
NEW ZEALAND ROBIN, Petroica australis
ASIAN FAIRY-BLUEBIRD, Irena puella
GREY-BACKED FISCAL, Lanius excubitoroides
WHITE-WINGED CHOUGH, Corcorax melanorhamphos
APOSTLEBIRD, Struthidea cinerea
VARIED SITTELLA, Daphoenositta chrysoptera
PURPLE-COLLARED WOODSTAR, Myrtis fanny
EURASIAN JAY, Garrulus glandarius
NEW CALEDONIAN CROW, Corvus moneduloides
CARRION CROW, Corvus corone
COMMON RAVEN, Corvus corax
GREY CURRAWONG, Strepera versicolor
ORIOLE SP., Oriolus sp.
BLACK-NAPED ORIOLE, Oriolus chinensis
GREY FANTAIL, Rhipidura fuliginosa
RUFOUS FANTAIL, Rhipidura rufifrons
DRONGO SP., Dicrurus sp.
BOKMAKIERIE BUSHSHRIKE, Telophorus zeylonus
KOKAKO, Callaeas cinerea
SADDLEBACK, Philesturnus carunculatus
BOHEMIAN WAXWING, Bombycilla garrulus
CEDAR WAXWING, Bombycilla cedrorum
WHITE-THROATED DIPPER, Cinclus cinclus
AMERICAN DIPPER, Cinclus mexicanus
EURASIAN BLACKBIRD, Turdus merula
EYEBROWED THRUSH, Turdus obscurus
FIELDFARE, Turdus pilaris
SONG THRUSH, Turdus philomelos
EUROPEAN PIED FLYCATCHER, Ficedula hypoleuca
EUROPEAN ROBIN, Erithacus rubecula
COMMON NIGHTINGALE, Luscinia megarhynchos
SEYCHELLES MAGPIE-ROBIN, Copsychus sechellarum
COMMON REDSTART, Phoenicurus phoenicurus
RED-WINGED STARLING, Onychognathus morio
COMMON STARLING, Sturnus vulgaris
GOLDEN-CRESTED MYNA, Ampeliceps coronatus
RED-BILLED OXPECKER, Buphagus erythrorhynchus
WOOD NUTHATCH, Sitta europaea
RUFOUS-NAPED WREN, Campylorhynchus rufinucha
WINTER WREN, Troglodytes troglodytes
BLUE-GREY GNATCATCHER, Polioptila caerulea
GREAT TIT, Parus major
BLUE TIT, Parus caeruleus
TREE SWALLOW, Tachycineta bicolor
PURPLE MARTIN, Progne subis
SAND MARTIN, Riparia riparia
ROCK MARTIN, Hirundo fuligula
FIRECREST, Regulus ignicapillus
BLACK-CRESTED BULBUL, Pycnonotus melanicterus
GOLDEN-HEADED CISTICOLA, Cisticola exilis
SEDGE WARBLER, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
EURASIAN REED-WARBLER, Acrocephalus scirpaceus
WILLOW WARBLER, Phylloscopus trochilus
COMMON CHIFFCHAFF, Phylloscopus collybita
WOOD WARBLER, Phylloscopus sibilatrix
ARABIAN BABBLER, Turdoides squamiceps
BLACKCAP, Sylvia atricapilla
ORANGE-BREASTED SUNBIRD, Nectarinia violacea
GOLDEN-WINGED SUNBIRD, Nectarinia reichenowi
HOUSE SPARROW, Passer domesticus
CAPE SPARROW, Passer diffusus
HEDGE ACCENTOR, Prunella modularis
WEAVER SP., Ploceus sp.
SOCIABLE WEAVER, Philetairus socius
LESSER MASKED WEAVER, Ploceus intermedius
SOUTHERN MASKED-WEAVER, Ploceus velatus
RED-HEADED WEAVER, Anaplectes rubriceps
SEYCHELLES FODY, Foudia sechellarum
RED BISHOP, Euplectes orix
LONG-TAILED WIDOWBIRD, Euplectes progne
PAINTED FIRETAIL (COMMON FIRETAIL), Emblema pictum
ZEBRA FINCH, Taeniopygia guttata
GOULDIAN FINCH, Chloebia gouldiae
CHAFFINCH, Fringilla coelebs
BRAMBLING, Fringilla montifringilla
ISLAND CANARY, Serinus canaria
EUROPEAN GREENFINCH, Carduelis chloris
EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH, Carduelis carduelis
RED CROSSBILL, Loxia curvirostra
EURASIAN BULLFINCH, Pyrrhula pyrrhula
HAWFINCH, Coccothraustes coccothraustes
LAPLAND LONGSPUR, Calcarius lapponicus
NASHVILLE WARBLER, Vermivora ruficapilla
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, Dendroica coronata
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, Dendroica townsendi
BLACK FLOWER-PIERCER, Diglossa humeralis
WOODPECKER FINCH, Camarhynchus pallidus
DICKCISSEL, Spiza americana
MONTEZUMA OROPENDOLA, Gymnostinops montezuma
RED-RUMPED CACIQUE, Cacicus haemorrhous
NORTHERN ORIOLE, Icterus galbula
BRIDLED WHITE-EYE, Zosterops conspicillatus
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, Molothrus ater