Essential Ornithology

If you feel you would like to explore birds beyond simply identifying and recording them, then this may well be the book for you. Although published as a text for degree-level students, this is a fantastically accessible source of information for any interested and inquiring reader. The book starts by looking at the evolution of birds from their dinosaur ancestors, leading on to evolution in modern birds and then, in more depth, at the biology of feathers and flight. Migration and navigation warrant another chapter, and then the various aspects of birds’ lives are explored individually: eggs, nests and chicks; reproduction and courting; foraging and predator avoidance and populations and communities. Combining the threads of biology, ecology, behaviour and conservation, this is an exceptional one-stop shop for anyone who wants to know more about birds. The hardback version may be too pricey for many, but the book is also available in softback, with a more realistic price-tag.

Book reviewed by Su Gough