A Guide to Scots Bird Names (revised edition)

This little gem of a book is ideal for leafing through in front of a fire with a dram of the Balvenie or Glenkinchie. The book is simple in concept and execution - a list of names in Scots with their English equivalents, and then a list of English names with their Scots equivalents. There is a (very) short introduction explaining the origins of some names. Although delightfully produced, with vignettes and short excerpts from Scots poems, it left me wanting a little more - how common are some of the names quoted, and where are/were they used and how were they derived? A little more information and authority would improve the usefulness of this book a lot. Meanwhile, any guesses on what a bletherin' tam or a heather peeper are….?

Book reviewed by Rob Robinson