British Birds: A photographic guide to every common species (Collins Complete Guide)

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My older sister owned this and the Observer’s Book of Birds. I loved both and still do. I find myself drawn to things that are the same, but different. Birds and eggs, for instance; but there’s a greater degree of difference between birds than between their eggs. The eggs of the buzzard and the sandwich tern are much more alike than the buzzard and the sandwich tern. It’s largely a question of scale. By Peter Adriaens, Mars Muusse, Philippe J. Dubois and Frédéric Jiguet; Princeton University Press, 2021; reviewed in BBby Brian Small ( Brit. Birds115: 177–178) and for BTO by Fionnuala McCully. An enjoyable read all round, Wild Felltouches on aspects of land management and asks questions that are relevant to nature reserves and wild areas around the country. The judges pointed out that, at a time when rewilding and wildlife-friendly land management are becoming more prevalent, this book offers a view of the situation and its many complexities that we all ought to take note of, regardless of whether we’re a wildlife-sympathetic individual who wants to learn more about the techniques used in land management or an on-the-ground conservationist who wishes to expand their knowledge. Look at him, putting his own book in. Always thought he was the type. Except I’m not. When I edited the anthology Murmurations, I included a new story, Gulls, by Nicholas Royle. Professor of English at the University of Sussex (I teach at Manchester Metropolitan University) and author of numerous works of nonfiction, Royle had published his first novel, Quilt, the year before. Gulls reappears in this, his second.

British Trust for Ornithology, BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, Tel: +44 (0)1842 750050 Fax: +44 (0)1842 750030

As a child, my favourite Ladybird books were Garden Birds, Heath and Woodland Birds and Birds of Prey. The author’s illustrations imprinted themselves on my mind so that when I look at them now I have to make an effort to separate feelings of nostalgia from the impulse to formulate a critical or aesthetic response. There’s something charmingly idealised about the way different species all get along as they stand about on the lawn or perch in a bush, and there’s an extraordinary, almost occult power in the way Leigh-Pemberton renders the quality of twilight. The judges valued this title for its birder-orientated approach to habitats, making the topic accessible and engaging even to those among the panel who admitted they had not given it much thought previously! The judges were particularly impressed by the way Vagrancy in Birds presents theories and observations in an easily accessible way. They also felt that the title communicates the importance of vagrancy to a range of ornithological phenomena, from the formation of new migration routes to speciation. An impressive amount of research is included in the family-by-family section, covering extralimital species records, and theories and observations about vagrancy in the given family.

The very thought of a book on gulls is enough to send some folk running – so the judges were pleased to see that this guide offered a straightforward approach to gull identification. By Iain D. Campbell, Ken Behrens, Charley Hesse and Phil Chaon; Princeton University Press, 2021; reviewed in BBby Stephen Menzie ( Brit. Birds115: 537–538). Another release in the highly popular WILDGuides series, this title takes the approach of its predecessor Britain’s Birds but expands its cover across Europe. The panel felt that considerable work has gone into selecting a wide range of images, so that variation in plumage and different postures are shown clearly for each species.

The prestigious Best Bird Book of the Year award is open to all books reviewed by BTO and British Birds in the year of consideration. Entries range from identification guides and ornithological science to culture and art, and are judged by a diverse panel from BTO and British Birds. Our expert staff regularly review the latest releases relating to ornithology, bird watching and bird science. Edited by Javier Caletrío; Pelagic Publishing, 2022; reviewed in BBby Stephen Menzie ( Brit. Birds115: 745). By Kirsty ‘Crow Artist’ Yeomans; Crow Artist, 2020; reviewed in BBby Alan Harris ( Brit. Birds115: 113).

An initial vote from each of the judges determined the shortlist, with 11 of the 45 eligible titles going forward to the second round. The final vote took place in mid December, with the usual lively discussion and debate between the judges before they cast their votes to determine the winning title. It was tight at the top, with just a few points separating the winner from second and third place. With concise but informative text and easy-to-understand diagrams, Habitats of the World offers birders and naturalists the opportunity to learn more about the landscapes they find themselves in, both at home and abroad.A wonderfully diverse collection of first-hand views and experiences of low-carbon birding that encourages all of us to rethink how we value and engage with the world around us." By Alexander Lees and James Gilroy; Helm, 2022; reviewed in BBby Martin Collinson ( Brit. Birds115: 231–232) and for BTO by Paul Stancliffe.

BTO's Library and Archives hold some of the most important ornithological collections in the UK. With material spanning the 19th Century to the present day, our fascinating and diverse collections are open to everyone. Following on from the highly acclaimed Britain’s Birds ( Brit. Birds 113: 507), this title takes the same concept and expands it to cover the entirety of Europe. It’s clear that a considerable amount of work has gone into selecting a wide range of images that show variation and different postures for each species, including attempting to get photos of vagrant species taken in Europe rather than from their native range. While photo guides are not everyone’s cup of tea, there’s no doubting that this is one of the best and the most complete out there. Read BTO's review of Gulls of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East: an identification guide by Fionnuala McCully When casting their votes, the judges paid particular attention to the ornithological impact of the titles on the shortlist. Of course, ‘ornithological impact’ can be a rather broad concept – but there’s no doubt that this book will have a substantial impact on the world of ornithology. Accordingly, the title was awarded points from all six of the BBBY judges. When discussing thoughts on the title, the term ‘not preachy’ was used on multiple occasions –and that was one of the qualities that drew the judges to this book. The positive stories and practical inspiration for how individual birders can reduce their carbon footprint while engaging in their hobby make this a readable and meaningful title, and the judges felt that this was one of the most important books published in the past 12 months. This year, Hazel McCambridge, Maria Farooqi and Jenna Woodford represented BTO on the judging panel, while Paul French, Sarah Harris and Stephen Menzie represented British Birds.

For the third year in a row, judging for BBBY was held on Zoom, with Paul French, Sarah Harris and Stephen Menzie representing British Birdsand Hazel McCambridge, Maria Scullion and Jenna Woodford representing BTO. Well thought out and structured to assist the reader. . . . another one of the top quality bargain books we have come to expect from Princeton's WildGuides series."—Phil Slade, Another Bird Blog