Paul Sterry

Dominic Couzens

Christopher Perrins

Sonya Patel Ellis

Collins Garden Birdwatcher's Bible

the world's most extraordinary and bizarre birds

Extreme birds

Gail Ashton

A fascinating journey into the secret life of insects, with QR codes to video and audio to bring the creatures to life. Just as birds have yearly rhythms, so do insects, bees, beetles, and butterflies. Wildlife experts Dominic Couzens and Gail Ashton discover 52 minibeasts from around the world, every week of the year. They tell the story of what is happening week-by-week in the insect world, in our own backyards, and just outside our patio doors. We delve into the world of the lethal Sydney funnel-web spider in Australian gardens, the migratory mission of the Monarch butterfly in America, and the life of the backdoor scorpions in South Africa. Among the seasonal behavior, the authors have woven history and folkloric tales. These brilliant stories are complemented by wonderful, commissioned illustrations that bring out the beauty of the entomological world. A QR code for each entry takes you to a video or audio file to further explore the habits of these intriguing creatures. A book for any nature lover to reveal the true wonder of our insect neighbors.

52 Stories of Intriguing Insects

A Year of Garden Bees & Bugs

Birds: ID Insights is ideal for birders of all levels. Its unique layout, comparing the plumages of similar pairs and groups of species, makes it perfect for identifying the more difficult birds found in Britain and other parts of north-west Europe. It has more images showing how to age birds than any comparable guide, and its handy compact size makes it practical for taking out into the field. The book is based on a long-running series of identification features in Bird Watching magazine. Author Dominic Couzens and artist David Nurney have spent years compiling the field notes and artworks for this series, and here their efforts are drawn together and made complete in a single volume that is easy to carry in the field and practical for birders to use. In addition they have expanded the species list from the magazine series and added many new birds, including the likes of Subalpine Warbler, Short-toed Lark, and Red-rumped Swallow. in total, the book covers more than 230 species, with easy-to-identify species such as Magpie and Kingfisher given minimal coverage so that the more difficult ID issues can be covered as fully as possible.

Identifying the More Difficult Birds of Britain

Birds: ID Insights

100 Birds to See in Your Lifetime is a must-have book for anyone interested in birds, with entries on 100 of the most incredible avian species across the world, illustrated with stunning photographs of each. Entries describe the natural history and significance of the featured species, with summary information including Size (and Wingspan, where applicable); Distribution; Habitat; Classification; Population & Conservation status; and the reason for inclusion. Whilst many of the species would be on any bird enthusiast's wish list, the list has been fiercely debated by two renowned birding authors, using various criteria to arrive at a top 100. Some species are endangered and therefore a must to see and conserve; others are quite common but have a particular plumage or behaviour that makes them exceptional; and others have a legendary status amongst birdwatchers and the layman, such as the dancing Red-crowned Cranes and the spectacular Gyr Falcon.

100 Birds to See in Your Lifetime

Puffins are among the most instantly recognisable, iconic and well loved of birds. For many they are a highlight of the UK's summer coastline and their colourful appearance, comedy antics and approachability just add to their popularity. Several 'hotspot' are attracting high levels of interest in visits to their colonies. In spite of the high level of interest in, and appeal of, these birds there has been a surprising lack of books focused on Puffins as a species. Award-winning wildlife photographer Mark Sisson has spent several years photographing Puffins and this new book combines images that beautifully encapsulate their charm and visual appeal with an accessible text written by leading wildlife writer Dominic Couzens. The book covers the birds' life cycle, behaviour, habitats and the current and future challenges that they face, along with many surprising facts and anecdotes.

The Secret Lives of Puffins

A guide to some of the rarest birds in existence, brought together by the maps showing where in the world you can find them. The book will focus on 50 captivating stories of the very rare, including remarkable discoveries of species new to science, rediscoveries of species not seen for centuries and 'back from the brink of extinction' successes like Seychelles Magpie-Robin and California Condor. Each species has its own mini-chapter and the book will be broken down into key groups of species, with the five most amazing tales of island endemics, five most bizarre cases of a bird becoming threatened, and so on.

Atlas of Rare Birds

Few types of bird behaviour are more fascinating than migration. We know that birds can travel vast distances with accuracy, but how they do it is still somewhat of a mystery. This book focuses on what a birder might ask, and has many practical tips and suggestions, as well as scientific findings.

Bird Migration

Top 100 Birding Sites of the World features detailed accounts of the best birdwatching sites in the world, giving background and first-hand experience of what you can find there. Each is ranked from one to 100. The expertly written and very readable text is backed up by lavish photos of the birds and scenery at each of the chosen hot-spots, including rare images of amazing species and some of the world's best avian spectacles such as the Snow Goose 'blizzard' at Bosque del Apache and the swarms of Lesser Flamingos on Africa's Rift Valley Lakes. Coverage is global, with sites from across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia, North and South America and Antarctica. Whether you want to use it to plan your holidays for years to come, or just as an inspirational book to dip into, Top 100 Birding Sites of the World will have a wide appeal for all those with an interest in birds and birdwatching.

Top 100 Birding Sites Of The World

The dawn chorus: a single voice cutting through the darkness heralds a breaking wave of sound at the very beginning of the day. It is an iconic natural phenomenon with many familiar performers, yet it is a mysterious event for which there is no complete explanation. A mass of starlings gathers at the end of the midwinter day. As the sun sets, wave upon wave of bodies rolls in and embarks upon another of nature's great attempts to show off. The murmuration is another much-admired spectacle, but again its purpose is obscure and defies our understanding. From dawn until dusk, birds do things that are surprising and mystifying. Songs of Love and War delves into bird behaviour and uncovers its purpose and meaning. More than just an inside look at bird behaviour, this book also represents a personal journey of discovery. What starts as a desire to learn more about the birds encountered on a regular father-and-son walk through the woods leads to a realisation that a bird's life is very far from the idyllic scene that can often be glimpsed by the casual birdwatcher. Actually a bird's life is often unusual and surprising, but above all it is brief and much darker than you might think.

The Dark Heart of Bird Behaviour

Songs of Love and War

Do you really know what's going on away from the bird feeder? Discover the private lives of your bird table regulars in this fascinating exposé of the drama behind their everyday survival. There are profiles of over 50 birds, with key information for identifying and learning about their different plumage, song, food and ways you can attract them to your garden. However this book goes further than just the general profile, revealing the more secretive and intimate aspects of their existence, such as: Unusual feeding behaviour Territorial conflict Strange relationships with man Breeding and nesting odditiesWith over 200 colour photographs and artworks to help you identify your winged visitors, Garden Bird Confidential is a must for all nature lovers.

Discover the hidden world of garden birds

Garden Bird Confidential

The beauty and fascination of birds is unrivalled. Every day of the year, immerse yourself in their world with an entry from A Bird of Day, where Dominic Couzens offers an insight into everything from the humble Robin to Emperor Penguins, who are in the midst of Arctic storms protecting their young on 1 July. Or discover the fate of the Passenger Pigeon which became extinct through overhunting on 1 September 2014. If you ever visit the Himalayan uplands, go in late November when you can see a flock of the cobalt blue Grandala birds, which is one of the wonders of the natural world.

A Bird A Day

Richard Crossley

A groundbreaking and accessible field guide to the birds of Britain and Ireland This guide is a celebration of the beauty of birds and the British and Irish countryside. Aimed at beginner and intermediate birders, yet suitable for all levels, this new volume in the groundbreaking Crossley ID Guide series is the most user-friendly guide to the birds of Britain and Ireland. Following The Crossley ID Guides' award-winning design, this book looks at all regularly occurring species in Britain and Ireland, and shows readers how to identify birds in their natural habitats using size, structure, shape, probability, and behavior—just like the experts do! Stunning images are accompanied by the colorful and compelling text of Dominic Couzens, one of Britain's leading nature writers. This unique book treats more than 300 species—all the regularly occurring birds likely to be encountered by observers--and the guide's attractive pages provide a real-life approach to bird identification. Beautiful, in-focus scenes present birds in various plumages and in lifelike poses set in identifiable British and Irish habitats. The plates also illustrate how a bird's appearance changes with distance. Organizing images in cohesive, easy-to-understand plates rather than as separate photographs, this book also sets itself apart by containing more images that demonstrate flight, behavior, habitat, and plumages than any other volume available. Not only is this field guide a reference book, it is also a spectacular teaching resource that makes it easy for nature enthusiasts to see and appreciate the big picture of bird identification. The most user-friendly guide to the birds of Britain and Ireland A close look at more than 300 regularly occurring species Award-winning Crossley ID Guide design Lifelike images of birds from near to far A celebration of the British and Irish countryside A teaching and field guide and essential reference Concise and compelling text by Dominic Couzens and Richard Crossley

Dominic Couzens

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