A Conspiracy of Ravens: a Compendium of Collective Nouns for Birds

There have been many books featuring the collective names of animals, and particularly of birds. This new one, with an entertaining foreword by Bill Oddie, is a compendium of over 100 of the best names. Generally reflecting some physical or behavioural feature of a species, most of the descriptive, often outlandish or amusing collective terms are documented as having been invented as a challenging game by the hunting fraternity in the Late Middle Ages – a ‘Worm’ of Robins, an

‘Ascension’ of Larks are but a couple of examples. The book is of simple design, all in black and white and with one bird per page in alphabetical order. What makes it special are the exquisite and accurate eighteenth-century wood engravings by Thomas Bewick which have been used as illustrations for each bird.

This little book would fit very nicely into a Christmas stocking, come the festive season…Anyone for a quick quiz? 

Book reviewed by Carole Showell

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