What is the best British bird guide? (1 Viewer)

[steveo]

Hey what is the best book for the birds of England, Ireland and Scotland i've got my side of the pond covered its time to go international any opinions appreciated.Ill be using it for Internet birding and for fantasy birding as I have no trips planned.

 

[GreatHornedOwl]

Hey what is the best book for the birds of England, Ireland and Scotland i've got my side of the pond covered its time to go international any opinions appreciated.Ill be using it for Internet birding and for fantasy birding as I have no trips planned.

Collins Bird Guide
Lars Svensson, Killian Mullarney, Dan Zetterstrom and Peter J Grant
392 pages, 3500 col illus, 700 maps.
Harper Collins

I quote a review that I found here :

"Written by one Europe's leading ornithologists and illustrated by two of the world's finest bird illustrators - Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom ( with a translation by David Christie). Covering Britain and Europe, the book provides all the information needed to identify any species at any time of year, with detailed text on size, habitat, range, identification and voice. Accompanying every species entry is a distribtuion map and colour illustrations (over 3500 in all) to show the species in all the major plumages (male, female, immature, in flight, at rest, feeding). The book is fully integrated, so that all this information appears on one spread, the ideal structure for use in the field. Each group of birds has an introduction, which covers the major problems involved in identifying or seeing them: how to organise a sea watching trip, how to separate birds of prey in flight, which duck hybrids can be confused with which species etc. Is this book worth buying if you already have Jonsson's Birds of Europe and Beaman & Madge's Handbook of Bird Identification ? The answer is probably yes - as Harper Collins rightly point out in their publicity, the Svensson/Mullarney/Zetterstrom team is one of the strongest ever recruited to put together a field guide.
`The Collins Bird Guide is undoubtedly the finest field guide that has ever been produced and now deservedly sits in a bird book elite of essential titles - nestling between BWP, HBW and Birds of Europe. The nomenclature and taxonomy may not be to everybody's liking, but it is a certainty that the magnificent work of Mullarney and Zetterstrom has set the illustrative standard for decades to come and will be admired and enjoyed by thousands of birders worldwide for many years. The word `classic' is so often over-used these days but, for once, it is a particularly fitting way to refer to this book. This is the last great bird book of the 20th Century, and I am sure that Peter Grant would have been happy knowing that. It is a fitting tribute to him, and his co-author and the world class artists. This book is an absolute gem.' Mark Golley, Birding World "

Amen

 

[GreatHornedOwl]

Hey what is the best book for the birds of England, Ireland and Scotland i've got my side of the pond covered its time to go international any opinions appreciated.Ill be using it for Internet birding and for fantasy birding as I have no trips planned.

And here my personal favourite - the best book on European birds in my opinion and quite complete (beware : NOT a field guide, this one - too heavy anyway to take in the field !!)

The Handbook of Bird Identification
For Europe and the Western Palearctic
Mark Beaman and Steve Madge
Series: CHRISTOPHER HELM IDENTIFICATION GUIDE SERIES
868 pages, 357 colour plates, col illus, 625 colour maps.
Christopher Helm

and the review :

" Illustrated by Hilary Burn, Martin Elliott, Alan Harris, Peter Hayman, Laurel Tucker, and Dan Zetterstrom
Over ten years in the making [and known throughout its gestation as `HBI' - Handbook of Bird Identification,] this is THE identification guide of the decade.
All the species which have occurred in the region are described and illustrated (including vagrants and accidentals). Species are covered by family, with each family introduction followed by the relevant text colour plates and species accounts. For 625 species there are detailed colour maps within the species texts.
At over 800 pages, with over 357 colour plates and a superbly accurate text, this is an ID guide without peer.
`The Handbook - HBI as it is already known - must now jostle for bookshelf space with not only the BWP but also the other major treatments of the birds of Europe or the Western Palearctic which have emerged over the last decade. To do so successfully, it must offer something identifiably different and of sufficient quality to meet the demands of an increasingly sophisticated market. The acid test of the success of HBI must therefore lie in its text. This I found to be excellent, with an appropriate balance given to jizz and plumage minutiae. The more complex identification problems are well-handled and are models of crisp precision given the constraints of space. HBI is not, therefore, the source of major new enlightenments (nor presumably was it intended to be), but it does give an admirably solid and authoritative snapshot of our knowledge of bird identification in the late 1990's. Other more specialist sources may have more detail on a particular topic, or one may prefer some other plates by other artists in other works, but no other single guide brings together so much of such a consistently high quality.' Andy Stoddart, Birding World "

Here you are, hope this helps

 

[mrpjdavis]

I second both these books. The Collins is excellent for in the field and Madge & Beaman excellent for checking when you are back home. The latter's particular strength is the range of plumages it covers - far more than "Birds of the Western Palearctic" for example.

It would probably be worth your while downloading sound clips from this site onto a PDA or iPod, so you can get familiar with calls and songs. (Assuming that is legal)

Pete

 

[DavidP]

And here my personal favourite - the best book on European birds in my opinion and quite complete (beware : NOT a field guide, this one - too heavy anyway to take in the field !!)

The Handbook of Bird Identification
For Europe and the Western Palearctic
Mark Beaman and Steve Madge
Series: CHRISTOPHER HELM IDENTIFICATION GUIDE SERIES
868 pages, 357 colour plates, col illus, 625 colour maps.
Christopher Helm

The trouble is neither of the two you describe is a field guide to British birds, although great if you want to travel thru europe and north africa. Its a shame that the Collins doesn't come in a UK/Ireland version then it would be great and you wouldn't be lumbered with the 700 or so species in the Collins when the total British list is in the 500's. If they cut out the non UK species and and then were able to increase the illustration and font size of the text you'd have a really great British guide.

Other options include the Knightley, Madge and Nurney
"Pocket guide to Birds of Britain and North west Europe" which is nicely laid out but the illustrations are not quite up to the Collins level
Or the "RSPB handbook of British birds" by Holden and Cleeves

You'll save yourself a lot of confusion if you get a guide with a smaller coverage than the Collins if the UK is the primary area of interest.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

The trouble is neither of the two you describe is a field guide to British birds, although great if you want to travel thru europe and north africa. Its a shame that the Collins doesn't come in a UK/Ireland version then it would be great and you wouldn't be lumbered with the 700 or so species in the Collins when the total British list is in the 500's. If they cut out the non UK species and and then were able to increase the illustration and font size of the text you'd have a really great British guide.

Other options include the Knightley, Madge and Nurney
"Pocket guide to Birds of Britain and North west Europe" which is nicely laid out but the illustrations are not quite up to the Collins level
Or the "RSPB handbook of British birds" by Holden and Cleeves

You'll save yourself a lot of confusion if you get a guide with a smaller coverage than the Collins if the UK is the primary area of interest.

Alternatively, buy the Collins and just make sure you look at the range maps and notes on distribution. As you would with any field guide.

 

[DavidP]

Alternatively, buy the Collins and just make sure you look at the range maps and notes on distribution. As you would with any field guide.

Very true but it seems a shame that they are missing a market where you could have the great illustrations of the Collins in a larger size and larger text in a smaller format (more pocketable). All the work is already done just needs re formatting. Still then we'd miss out the Houbara bustard decription with the great picture in the background of it hiding from a passing Bedouin party. Haven't seen one of those yet around here but I live in hope.

 

[David FG]

The trouble is neither of the two you describe is a field guide to British birds, although great if you want to travel thru europe and north africa. Its a shame that the Collins doesn't come in a UK/Ireland version then it would be great and you wouldn't be lumbered with the 700 or so species in the Collins when the total British list is in the 500's. If they cut out the non UK species and and then were able to increase the illustration and font size of the text you'd have a really great British guide.

Other options include the Knightley, Madge and Nurney
"Pocket guide to Birds of Britain and North west Europe" which is nicely laid out but the illustrations are not quite up to the Collins level
Or the "RSPB handbook of British birds" by Holden and Cleeves

You'll save yourself a lot of confusion if you get a guide with a smaller coverage than the Collins if the UK is the primary area of interest.

The problem with any attempt to produce a field guide to just the birds of the British Isles is what to include and what to leave out.

Many species occur with greater or lesser regularity in these islands which are native to mainland Europe but would not, strictly speaking, be considered British or Irish by most people.

For example, would one include Bee-eater or Nutcracker (picking two at random, which I have seen in the UK)? If so, what would one not include?

A book including all those species that have occurred would look much like a guide to the Birds of Europe anyway (With a fair sprinkling of the birds of North America and Asia, too.)

 

[DavidP]

The problem with any attempt to produce a field guide to just the birds of the British Isles is what to include and what to leave out.

Many species occur with greater or lesser regularity in these islands which are native to mainland Europe but would not, strictly speaking, be considered British or Irish by most people.

For example, would one include Bee-eater or Nutcracker (picking two at random, which I have seen in the UK)? If so, what would one not include?

A book including all those species that have occurred would look much like a guide to the Birds of Europe anyway (With a fair sprinkling of the birds of North America and Asia, too.)

That I guess is the problem but it seems there should be room for 2 versions. The Collins at the moment carries 722 species. I would have thought the logical place to start for a UK guide would be the British list at BOU which I believe is in the order of 572 at the moment. That I suppose would include most things you'll likely to ever see. But then again for the experienced person (of which I'm not) I guess using the Collins would be fine but I find it a little confusing as a beginner and much prefer the way that the Knightley, Madge book does it with 385 species (includes both bee-eater and nutcracker by the way). However the Collins illustrations are obviously much superior. They look stunning in the large format version but the standard size the illustrations and text seem a little too packed together for my liking. If they did use the BOU list at 572 then the whole thing would be much easier on the eye and more room for those great illustrations.

However for the orginal question I guess the Collins is the standard by which all others are judged but beware its not a British guide, its a Europe, North Africa (above 30'N) and a large part of the Middle East guide. If I was going on a trip thru Europe that might include Armenia, and Azerbaijan whilst swinging thru Israel and Algeria its the perfect guide. I'm not sure I need to lug all that around with me if the furthest I'm likely to go is Wales or Scotland.

Anyway look at the Collins as it does have by far the best illustrations but beware there are others out there that in my opinion as a beginner are easier to understand.

 

[GreatHornedOwl]

If they cut out the non UK species and and then were able to increase the illustration and font size of the text you'd have a really great British guide

re. the size of illustrations and font size of text - the collins was/is available in a sort of "handbook version" in A4 size with illustrations twice the size you get in the field guide.
I have the French version called "Album Ornitho" with specific notes where appropriate for France, Belgium and Switzerland; this is also better printed (in Switzerland) than the british versions of the book (paperback, hardcover and A4), illustrations are somewhat sharper and colour is better.

I believe the British Collins guide is due to be reprinted next month october 2006, don't know which version though, I guess it will be the small hardcover to begin with.

 

[David FG]

That I guess is the problem but it seems there should be room for 2 versions. The Collins at the moment carries 722 species. I would have thought the logical place to start for a UK guide would be the British list at BOU which I believe is in the order of 572 at the moment. That I suppose would include most things you'll likely to ever see. But then again for the experienced person (of which I'm not) I guess using the Collins would be fine but I find it a little confusing as a beginner and much prefer the way that the Knightley, Madge book does it with 385 species (includes both bee-eater and nutcracker by the way). However the Collins illustrations are obviously much superior. They look stunning in the large format version but the standard size the illustrations and text seem a little too packed together for my liking. If they did use the BOU list at 572 then the whole thing would be much easier on the eye and more room for those great illustrations.

However for the orginal question I guess the Collins is the standard by which all others are judged but beware its not a British guide, its a Europe, North Africa (above 30'N) and a large part of the Middle East guide. If I was going on a trip thru Europe that might include Armenia, and Azerbaijan whilst swinging thru Israel and Algeria its the perfect guide. I'm not sure I need to lug all that around with me if the furthest I'm likely to go is Wales or Scotland.

Anyway look at the Collins as it does have by far the best illustrations but beware there are others out there that in my opinion as a beginner are easier to understand.

Fair point, and I must admit that the pages dealing with Sandgrouse and Snowcocks and Francolins don't get used much by me!

 

[GreatHornedOwl]

You Brits are hugely spoiled for choice really.

I'm a Belgian and I have only two options of each - either the french or dutch version of the Collins, Jonsson or Peterson, which have a bias either for France or Holland. Market is too small here to make a Belgian version possible.

But I can read, write, speak and understand your (English language) so I do have both books I mentioned in my first post above and am quite happy - especially with the Madge & Beaman, what a great book that is.

 

[steveo]

Thank you all so much for the info .