First class guide to birds found in the British Isles, 29 Jun 2008
I read the reviews and decided to buy the book based on the high proportion of 5* ratings. I was not disappointed!

The book is the size of an average paperback, has a protective clear plastic sleeve, glossy pages, stunning photographs & great summaries on key facts of interest about each bird - definitely the best £7.99 I've spent in a long time!

This is the book you are looking for, 26 Nov 2007
I purchased this book along with the RSPB one .
however the Collins book was more descriptive with full coulour photo's and not drawings as the rspb's it also shows the birds in flight which helps you if you are a beginner less you might not be so quick with the binocc's
So well worth the pounds and five stars

Terrific Photography, 08 Aug 2007
If truth be told most of the birds books for sale these days are excellent for identification purposes. Printing techniques, particularly with the use of colour have improved dramatically and a book that would have cost £100 not many years ago, can now be purchased for a tenth of the price.

This book is full of good quality colour photographs that are ideal for identification. The book also tell you where in the British Isles a particular species is usually to be found. Whether the bird is to be found all year round or whether it is just a visitor to our shores. It also shows the birds in their different plumage: Male and female, juvenile etc.

Modern bird books consciously do not show photographs of eggs and I must admit it is something I miss, although I totally understand the reasoning behind it. All in all this is another of a number of books that are well worth purchasing if you have either a passing interest in birds or are more serious about bird watching.

Highly readible and excellent photographs, 10 Jul 2005
Collins Complete British Birds Photoguide has everything you would ever need in a bird book. It gives a very detailed introduction to British birds and a highly useful section on bird habitats, plumage, migration and movements and conservation at the start of the book without making the text sound too boring.

The photographs in the book are absolutely superb and show birds in every plumage; male and female, adult or juvenile, summer or winter and they are very clear. Each species account gives a description of plumage patterns, voice, where the bird is likely to be found and its status in the country at large, and also (which I found very useful) a bit on where the best place to find the bird is and at what time of year, the distribution maps are very clear and include a calendar bar to show if the bird in question is a year round resident or a visitor.

I found the text very easy to read (unlike most bird books which tend to be very scientific and hard to understand) and is a great book to have. Buy it, I guarantee you will not be wasting your money.

Excellent bird guide, 07 Jan 2005
This is the best bird indentifying book I've seen.
A great layout. Photos (not sketches) of each bird including male, female, juvenile....It also includes information on each bird size, voice, migration, habitat and areas. Also there are pictures of 'uncommon' visitor birds at the back and a lovely general introduction of habitats at the front of the book.

First class guide to birds found in the British Isles, 29 Jun 2008
I read the reviews and decided to buy the book based on the high proportion of 5* ratings. I was not disappointed!

The book is the size of an average paperback, has a protective clear plastic sleeve, glossy pages, stunning photographs & great summaries on key facts of interest about each bird - definitely the best £7.99 I've spent in a long time!

This is the book you are looking for, 26 Nov 2007
I purchased this book along with the RSPB one .
however the Collins book was more descriptive with full coulour photo's and not drawings as the rspb's it also shows the birds in flight which helps you if you are a beginner less you might not be so quick with the binocc's
So well worth the pounds and five stars

Terrific Photography, 08 Aug 2007
If truth be told most of the birds books for sale these days are excellent for identification purposes. Printing techniques, particularly with the use of colour have improved dramatically and a book that would have cost £100 not many years ago, can now be purchased for a tenth of the price.

This book is full of good quality colour photographs that are ideal for identification. The book also tell you where in the British Isles a particular species is usually to be found. Whether the bird is to be found all year round or whether it is just a visitor to our shores. It also shows the birds in their different plumage: Male and female, juvenile etc.

Modern bird books consciously do not show photographs of eggs and I must admit it is something I miss, although I totally understand the reasoning behind it. All in all this is another of a number of books that are well worth purchasing if you have either a passing interest in birds or are more serious about bird watching.

Highly readible and excellent photographs, 10 Jul 2005
Collins Complete British Birds Photoguide has everything you would ever need in a bird book. It gives a very detailed introduction to British birds and a highly useful section on bird habitats, plumage, migration and movements and conservation at the start of the book without making the text sound too boring.

The photographs in the book are absolutely superb and show birds in every plumage; male and female, adult or juvenile, summer or winter and they are very clear. Each species account gives a description of plumage patterns, voice, where the bird is likely to be found and its status in the country at large, and also (which I found very useful) a bit on where the best place to find the bird is and at what time of year, the distribution maps are very clear and include a calendar bar to show if the bird in question is a year round resident or a visitor.

I found the text very easy to read (unlike most bird books which tend to be very scientific and hard to understand) and is a great book to have. Buy it, I guarantee you will not be wasting your money.

Excellent bird guide, 07 Jan 2005
This is the best bird indentifying book I've seen.
A great layout. Photos (not sketches) of each bird including male, female, juvenile....It also includes information on each bird size, voice, migration, habitat and areas. Also there are pictures of 'uncommon' visitor birds at the back and a lovely general introduction of habitats at the front of the book.

The Best at what it does., 18 Nov 2008
This is beyond any reasonable doubt the best portable field guide.
The other reviewers make that clear.

One of three essential books:

For beginners, or for more detailed information on commoner British Birds I would suggest that the excellent RSPB Handbook of British Birds (Ornithology) is a better choice.
For detailed ID info on rarer birds, Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic, The is probably the best.

I use all 3 frequently (the last mainly for birds I haven't seen myself! Sigh!)the RSPB book is also a very reasonable price and pocketable, the Western Palearctic book is neither cheap (good value nonetheless) nor pocketable.

Birds - lots of feathers, 13 Apr 2008
I bought this book to identify the little blighters who hop and fly merrily around my garden. It's a great book with good images and text. The only bird book you'll ever need.

BRILLIANT BOOK!, 25 Mar 2008
I cannot recommend this book khighly enough. I have being birding for 25 years and have amassed a collection of c60 bird books on European birds. This is equal to 50 of them TOGETHER! The illustrations and descriptions are excellent. Many books carry detailed descriptions and photographs on birds in winter plumage and then state that they are summer visitors (or vice versa)! This book is invaluable and ever birder should have at least one copy

First class field guide, 23 Jan 2008
An excellent field guide with brilliant drawings of all the birds in their different plumages. Really does help when identifying rare birds or ones which you are unsure of.

Best bird guide ever!!!!, 29 Oct 2007
The best field guide I have ever owned. Beautiful illustrations and ideal text (plus illustrations and text on opposite pages!!!). It is also comprehensive and features many 'common' vagrants too. If you are a serious European based birder or wildlife enthusiast then quite simply you need this book.
Its scope and detail may prove off-putting to beginners but trust me its worth every penny!

First class guide to birds found in the British Isles, 29 Jun 2008
I read the reviews and decided to buy the book based on the high proportion of 5* ratings. I was not disappointed!

The book is the size of an average paperback, has a protective clear plastic sleeve, glossy pages, stunning photographs & great summaries on key facts of interest about each bird - definitely the best £7.99 I've spent in a long time!

This is the book you are looking for, 26 Nov 2007
I purchased this book along with the RSPB one .
however the Collins book was more descriptive with full coulour photo's and not drawings as the rspb's it also shows the birds in flight which helps you if you are a beginner less you might not be so quick with the binocc's
So well worth the pounds and five stars

Terrific Photography, 08 Aug 2007
If truth be told most of the birds books for sale these days are excellent for identification purposes. Printing techniques, particularly with the use of colour have improved dramatically and a book that would have cost £100 not many years ago, can now be purchased for a tenth of the price.

This book is full of good quality colour photographs that are ideal for identification. The book also tell you where in the British Isles a particular species is usually to be found. Whether the bird is to be found all year round or whether it is just a visitor to our shores. It also shows the birds in their different plumage: Male and female, juvenile etc.

Modern bird books consciously do not show photographs of eggs and I must admit it is something I miss, although I totally understand the reasoning behind it. All in all this is another of a number of books that are well worth purchasing if you have either a passing interest in birds or are more serious about bird watching.

Highly readible and excellent photographs, 10 Jul 2005
Collins Complete British Birds Photoguide has everything you would ever need in a bird book. It gives a very detailed introduction to British birds and a highly useful section on bird habitats, plumage, migration and movements and conservation at the start of the book without making the text sound too boring.

The photographs in the book are absolutely superb and show birds in every plumage; male and female, adult or juvenile, summer or winter and they are very clear. Each species account gives a description of plumage patterns, voice, where the bird is likely to be found and its status in the country at large, and also (which I found very useful) a bit on where the best place to find the bird is and at what time of year, the distribution maps are very clear and include a calendar bar to show if the bird in question is a year round resident or a visitor.

I found the text very easy to read (unlike most bird books which tend to be very scientific and hard to understand) and is a great book to have. Buy it, I guarantee you will not be wasting your money.

Excellent bird guide, 07 Jan 2005
This is the best bird indentifying book I've seen.
A great layout. Photos (not sketches) of each bird including male, female, juvenile....It also includes information on each bird size, voice, migration, habitat and areas. Also there are pictures of 'uncommon' visitor birds at the back and a lovely general introduction of habitats at the front of the book.

The Best at what it does., 18 Nov 2008
This is beyond any reasonable doubt the best portable field guide.
The other reviewers make that clear.

One of three essential books:

For beginners, or for more detailed information on commoner British Birds I would suggest that the excellent RSPB Handbook of British Birds (Ornithology) is a better choice.
For detailed ID info on rarer birds, Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic, The is probably the best.

I use all 3 frequently (the last mainly for birds I haven't seen myself! Sigh!)the RSPB book is also a very reasonable price and pocketable, the Western Palearctic book is neither cheap (good value nonetheless) nor pocketable.

Birds - lots of feathers, 13 Apr 2008
I bought this book to identify the little blighters who hop and fly merrily around my garden. It's a great book with good images and text. The only bird book you'll ever need.

BRILLIANT BOOK!, 25 Mar 2008
I cannot recommend this book khighly enough. I have being birding for 25 years and have amassed a collection of c60 bird books on European birds. This is equal to 50 of them TOGETHER! The illustrations and descriptions are excellent. Many books carry detailed descriptions and photographs on birds in winter plumage and then state that they are summer visitors (or vice versa)! This book is invaluable and ever birder should have at least one copy

First class field guide, 23 Jan 2008
An excellent field guide with brilliant drawings of all the birds in their different plumages. Really does help when identifying rare birds or ones which you are unsure of.

Best bird guide ever!!!!, 29 Oct 2007
The best field guide I have ever owned. Beautiful illustrations and ideal text (plus illustrations and text on opposite pages!!!). It is also comprehensive and features many 'common' vagrants too. If you are a serious European based birder or wildlife enthusiast then quite simply you need this book.
Its scope and detail may prove off-putting to beginners but trust me its worth every penny!

Insightful and life-affirming, 09 Nov 2008
Corvus is an enchanting book. There is no sentimentality here - indeed, Esther Woolfson goes to rigorous lengths to avoid anthropomorphism - and yet the entire book is infused with warmth, charm and humanity, whilst the birds themselves - very much the stars of the piece - are quite wonderful. The episodic narrative, charting the author's own journey of avian experience and discovery - punctuated by digressions on topics such as birds in folklore, bird physiology, bird evolution, bird flight and bird song - is completely compelling: I could barely put it down. The expositions themselves are equally interesting, hugely informed and informing, but never daunting. Beautifully written, the prose is spare but elegant, seemingly almost taking on the metre of bird song itself. Other significant themes also run, almost imperceptibly, through the book: the art of 'seeing' and observation, the scientific method, the idea of 'North', the comfort of home and family. This is not a 'heavy' book - it first came to my attention through hearing a very brief extract on (BBC) Radio 4 - but there is great sensitivity and wisdom here. If you've ever stood at a window or sat on a bench and watched a bird walk or hop or feed or fly, then Corvus will almost certainly enrich your life and provide a fresh, new perspective the next time you see a rook, crow, magpie or one of their feathered relations. A joy from cover to cover.

Rooks rule - ok?, 27 Oct 2008
A marvellous, magical book. I can't recommend it highly enough. Written with such intelligence, open mindedness and sensitivity. (I can only add that when i happened upon two rooks today in town, I spent some time standing there chatting to them - probably looking extremely silly, particularly to the birds themselves - but I could hardly pass them by without a word: it would have been most ill mannered.) This book delighted me and at one point made me cry. I send my warmest regards both to the author and to dear Chicken, with all good wishes for her longevity and very good health.

Brilliant writing - subtle and effective, 18 Sep 2008
Maybe Robert Macfarlane and Jay Griffiths should be forced to read this book, because without a single overdressed metaphor, without a single unnecessary word of any kind, it tells a series of subtle, clear and profoundly moving stories. It's a delight to meet Spike, and Chicken, and the other birds who soar and wing through the pages, the rhythmical, shapely pages. Envy! I wish I'd written this. Observation wonderful. Interesting that birds are so despised. I read this because having kept chickens I've also come to know and feed jackdaws and rooks, and all three kinds of bird are so bright and so interesting that I simply can't see why we once despised them. I shall read the sequel, if any.

SUPERB, BRILLIANT, FUNNY, 26 Aug 2008
This book should be read by everyone and anyone who has ever had a pet. It's funny stories and anecdotes about the author's life with birds are charming and moving. I couldn't put it down.

Funny, informative, a must buy!!!, 21 Aug 2008
The main theme of Corvus is the story of a baby rook owned by the autor but it also concerns broader subjects such as natural history and wild birds.

The parts about Woolfsons pet birds are a funny and touching potrait of a family and their pets, a little remeniscent of "my family and other animals".

The parts about natural history are more serious and require concentration but well worth it particularly the parts discussing birds relationship to dinosaurs.

I really loved this and hope that Esther Woolfson writes more of the same.

First class guide to birds found in the British Isles, 29 Jun 2008
I read the reviews and decided to buy the book based on the high proportion of 5* ratings. I was not disappointed!

The book is the size of an average paperback, has a protective clear plastic sleeve, glossy pages, stunning photographs & great summaries on key facts of interest about each bird - definitely the best £7.99 I've spent in a long time!

This is the book you are looking for, 26 Nov 2007
I purchased this book along with the RSPB one .
however the Collins book was more descriptive with full coulour photo's and not drawings as the rspb's it also shows the birds in flight which helps you if you are a beginner less you might not be so quick with the binocc's
So well worth the pounds and five stars

Terrific Photography, 08 Aug 2007
If truth be told most of the birds books for sale these days are excellent for identification purposes. Printing techniques, particularly with the use of colour have improved dramatically and a book that would have cost £100 not many years ago, can now be purchased for a tenth of the price.

This book is full of good quality colour photographs that are ideal for identification. The book also tell you where in the British Isles a particular species is usually to be found. Whether the bird is to be found all year round or whether it is just a visitor to our shores. It also shows the birds in their different plumage: Male and female, juvenile etc.

Modern bird books consciously do not show photographs of eggs and I must admit it is something I miss, although I totally understand the reasoning behind it. All in all this is another of a number of books that are well worth purchasing if you have either a passing interest in birds or are more serious about bird watching.

Highly readible and excellent photographs, 10 Jul 2005
Collins Complete British Birds Photoguide has everything you would ever need in a bird book. It gives a very detailed introduction to British birds and a highly useful section on bird habitats, plumage, migration and movements and conservation at the start of the book without making the text sound too boring.

The photographs in the book are absolutely superb and show birds in every plumage; male and female, adult or juvenile, summer or winter and they are very clear. Each species account gives a description of plumage patterns, voice, where the bird is likely to be found and its status in the country at large, and also (which I found very useful) a bit on where the best place to find the bird is and at what time of year, the distribution maps are very clear and include a calendar bar to show if the bird in question is a year round resident or a visitor.

I found the text very easy to read (unlike most bird books which tend to be very scientific and hard to understand) and is a great book to have. Buy it, I guarantee you will not be wasting your money.

Excellent bird guide, 07 Jan 2005
This is the best bird indentifying book I've seen.
A great layout. Photos (not sketches) of each bird including male, female, juvenile....It also includes information on each bird size, voice, migration, habitat and areas. Also there are pictures of 'uncommon' visitor birds at the back and a lovely general introduction of habitats at the front of the book.

The Best at what it does., 18 Nov 2008
This is beyond any reasonable doubt the best portable field guide.
The other reviewers make that clear.

One of three essential books:

For beginners, or for more detailed information on commoner British Birds I would suggest that the excellent RSPB Handbook of British Birds (Ornithology) is a better choice.
For detailed ID info on rarer birds, Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic, The is probably the best.

I use all 3 frequently (the last mainly for birds I haven't seen myself! Sigh!)the RSPB book is also a very reasonable price and pocketable, the Western Palearctic book is neither cheap (good value nonetheless) nor pocketable.

Birds - lots of feathers, 13 Apr 2008
I bought this book to identify the little blighters who hop and fly merrily around my garden. It's a great book with good images and text. The only bird book you'll ever need.

BRILLIANT BOOK!, 25 Mar 2008
I cannot recommend this book khighly enough. I have being birding for 25 years and have amassed a collection of c60 bird books on European birds. This is equal to 50 of them TOGETHER! The illustrations and descriptions are excellent. Many books carry detailed descriptions and photographs on birds in winter plumage and then state that they are summer visitors (or vice versa)! This book is invaluable and ever birder should have at least one copy

First class field guide, 23 Jan 2008
An excellent field guide with brilliant drawings of all the birds in their different plumages. Really does help when identifying rare birds or ones which you are unsure of.

Best bird guide ever!!!!, 29 Oct 2007
The best field guide I have ever owned. Beautiful illustrations and ideal text (plus illustrations and text on opposite pages!!!). It is also comprehensive and features many 'common' vagrants too. If you are a serious European based birder or wildlife enthusiast then quite simply you need this book.
Its scope and detail may prove off-putting to beginners but trust me its worth every penny!

Insightful and life-affirming, 09 Nov 2008
Corvus is an enchanting book. There is no sentimentality here - indeed, Esther Woolfson goes to rigorous lengths to avoid anthropomorphism - and yet the entire book is infused with warmth, charm and humanity, whilst the birds themselves - very much the stars of the piece - are quite wonderful. The episodic narrative, charting the author's own journey of avian experience and discovery - punctuated by digressions on topics such as birds in folklore, bird physiology, bird evolution, bird flight and bird song - is completely compelling: I could barely put it down. The expositions themselves are equally interesting, hugely informed and informing, but never daunting. Beautifully written, the prose is spare but elegant, seemingly almost taking on the metre of bird song itself. Other significant themes also run, almost imperceptibly, through the book: the art of 'seeing' and observation, the scientific method, the idea of 'North', the comfort of home and family. This is not a 'heavy' book - it first came to my attention through hearing a very brief extract on (BBC) Radio 4 - but there is great sensitivity and wisdom here. If you've ever stood at a window or sat on a bench and watched a bird walk or hop or feed or fly, then Corvus will almost certainly enrich your life and provide a fresh, new perspective the next time you see a rook, crow, magpie or one of their feathered relations. A joy from cover to cover.

Rooks rule - ok?, 27 Oct 2008
A marvellous, magical book. I can't recommend it highly enough. Written with such intelligence, open mindedness and sensitivity. (I can only add that when i happened upon two rooks today in town, I spent some time standing there chatting to them - probably looking extremely silly, particularly to the birds themselves - but I could hardly pass them by without a word: it would have been most ill mannered.) This book delighted me and at one point made me cry. I send my warmest regards both to the author and to dear Chicken, with all good wishes for her longevity and very good health.

Brilliant writing - subtle and effective, 18 Sep 2008
Maybe Robert Macfarlane and Jay Griffiths should be forced to read this book, because without a single overdressed metaphor, without a single unnecessary word of any kind, it tells a series of subtle, clear and profoundly moving stories. It's a delight to meet Spike, and Chicken, and the other birds who soar and wing through the pages, the rhythmical, shapely pages. Envy! I wish I'd written this. Observation wonderful. Interesting that birds are so despised. I read this because having kept chickens I've also come to know and feed jackdaws and rooks, and all three kinds of bird are so bright and so interesting that I simply can't see why we once despised them. I shall read the sequel, if any.

SUPERB, BRILLIANT, FUNNY, 26 Aug 2008
This book should be read by everyone and anyone who has ever had a pet. It's funny stories and anecdotes about the author's life with birds are charming and moving. I couldn't put it down.

Funny, informative, a must buy!!!, 21 Aug 2008
The main theme of Corvus is the story of a baby rook owned by the autor but it also concerns broader subjects such as natural history and wild birds.

The parts about Woolfsons pet birds are a funny and touching potrait of a family and their pets, a little remeniscent of "my family and other animals".

The parts about natural history are more serious and require concentration but well worth it particularly the parts discussing birds relationship to dinosaurs.

I really loved this and hope that Esther Woolfson writes more of the same.

Brilliant for Identification, 15 Aug 2007

We come to expect quality books when they carry the RSPB name and logo and they do not let us down, my only slight quibble is that this particular book says on the front "UK's Best Selling field Guide." To my way of thinking it is a little large for a pocket guide. Carrying a camera field glasses is enough without a weighty book that you will struggle to get into a pocket.

Whether you are an armchair addict, or a twitcher of the first order, this guide and 70-minute CD are essential reference. The book and video introduce you to 800 species that are regularly and not so regularly found in Britain and Europe. The book contains beautiful photographs, including ones of the different plumages, both male, female and juvenile. There is information on habitat and virtually everything you need to know to obtain a true picture of each individual species.

A fantastic bird guide, 18 Dec 2005
This is a fantastic field guide for birdwatchers to have on their bookshelf. The photos are superb, and I personally find them much easier to use for bird identification, than the classic birdwatching field guides that have artists representations. It is a shame that this book is too big and heavy to use outdoors as a field guide (not that I would want to as it might get ruined). However the RSPB have thought of that and have a slimmed down pocket guide available as well.

First class RSPB and DK. Watch out Collins guides, there is a new kid on the block.

the best (non pocket )reference book there is, 29 Oct 2005
An excellent guide to all European birds from Iceland to Israel plus all the vagrants that have visited. The best part of this book is that it has all photos. Some guide books have drawings or coloured illustrations which sometimes are far removed from the bird you want to identify. Having said that this is a hefty book and therefore is not much use in the field, the paperback is smaller and lighter but I prefer this even so. It has a lot of bird info at the front and is the best complete guide I have come across.

Excellent reference book, visually fantastic, 23 May 2003
A solid, brick-like book, not one for carrying around in the field, but great for extra information and to pin down a specific identification. Easy to use and very clear - this has already become a firm favourite. Covering ecology as well as identification this book should be able to inform experts and beginners alike, without being boring or intimidating to either.

In keeping with the other RSPB guides, Complete Birds of Britain and Europe devotes a page to almost all British and European species, containing descriptive text, photographs and a line representation of the bird in flight. Male, female and juvenile are often depicted, with seasonal plumage and in flight pictures as well. An extensive checklist of much rarer species appears at the back.

The detail and authority of description exceeds that of other bird books, including the Collins guides. Rob Hume's efficiency in writing pocket books is evident here as he has used the same approach. The large pages are exploited to the limit and crammed full of information, but without feeling cluttered or inaccessible. However, where the RSPB books tower above their rivals is in the method of illustration. Large, clear photos are definitely my preference and the quality of photography is super, hence the top rating for the book - I haven't seen anything better.

First class guide to birds found in the British Isles, 29 Jun 2008
I read the reviews and decided to buy the book based on the high proportion of 5* ratings. I was not disappointed!

The book is the size of an average paperback, has a protective clear plastic sleeve, glossy pages, stunning photographs & great summaries on key facts of interest about each bird - definitely the best £7.99 I've spent in a long time!

This is the book you are looking for, 26 Nov 2007
I purchased this book along with the RSPB one .
however the Collins book was more descriptive with full coulour photo's and not drawings as the rspb's it also shows the birds in flight which helps you if you are a beginner less you might not be so quick with the binocc's
So well worth the pounds and five stars

Terrific Photography, 08 Aug 2007
If truth be told most of the birds books for sale these days are excellent for identification purposes. Printing techniques, particularly with the use of colour have improved dramatically and a book that would have cost £100 not many years ago, can now be purchased for a tenth of the price.

This book is full of good quality colour photographs that are ideal for identification. The book also tell you where in the British Isles a particular species is usually to be found. Whether the bird is to be found all year round or whether it is just a visitor to our shores. It also shows the birds in their different plumage: Male and female, juvenile etc.

Modern bird books consciously do not show photographs of eggs and I must admit it is something I miss, although I totally understand the reasoning behind it. All in all this is another of a number of books that are well worth purchasing if you have either a passing interest in birds or are more serious about bird watching.

Highly readible and excellent photographs, 10 Jul 2005
Collins Complete British Birds Photoguide has everything you would ever need in a bird book. It gives a very detailed introduction to British birds and a highly useful section on bird habitats, plumage, migration and movements and conservation at the start of the book without making the text sound too boring.

The photographs in the book are absolutely superb and show birds in every plumage; male and female, adult or juvenile, summer or winter and they are very clear. Each species account gives a description of plumage patterns, voice, where the bird is likely to be found and its status in the country at large, and also (which I found very useful) a bit on where the best place to find the bird is and at what time of year, the distribution maps are very clear and include a calendar bar to show if the bird in question is a year round resident or a visitor.

I found the text very easy to read (unlike most bird books which tend to be very scientific and hard to understand) and is a great book to have. Buy it, I guarantee you will not be wasting your money.

Excellent bird guide, 07 Jan 2005
This is the best bird indentifying book I've seen.
A great layout. Photos (not sketches) of each bird including male, female, juvenile....It also includes information on each bird size, voice, migration, habitat and areas. Also there are pictures of 'uncommon' visitor birds at the back and a lovely general introduction of habitats at the front of the book.

The Best at what it does., 18 Nov 2008
This is beyond any reasonable doubt the best portable field guide.
The other reviewers make that clear.

One of three essential books:

For beginners, or for more detailed information on commoner British Birds I would suggest that the excellent RSPB Handbook of British Birds (Ornithology) is a better choice.
For detailed ID info on rarer birds, Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic, The is probably the best.

I use all 3 frequently (the last mainly for birds I haven't seen myself! Sigh!)the RSPB book is also a very reasonable price and pocketable, the Western Palearctic book is neither cheap (good value nonetheless) nor pocketable.

Birds - lots of feathers, 13 Apr 2008
I bought this book to identify the little blighters who hop and fly merrily around my garden. It's a great book with good images and text. The only bird book you'll ever need.

BRILLIANT BOOK!, 25 Mar 2008
I cannot recommend this book khighly enough. I have being birding for 25 years and have amassed a collection of c60 bird books on European birds. This is equal to 50 of them TOGETHER! The illustrations and descriptions are excellent. Many books carry detailed descriptions and photographs on birds in winter plumage and then state that they are summer visitors (or vice versa)! This book is invaluable and ever birder should have at least one copy

First class field guide, 23 Jan 2008
An excellent field guide with brilliant drawings of all the birds in their different plumages. Really does help when identifying rare birds or ones which you are unsure of.

Best bird guide ever!!!!, 29 Oct 2007
The best field guide I have ever owned. Beautiful illustrations and ideal text (plus illustrations and text on opposite pages!!!). It is also comprehensive and features many 'common' vagrants too. If you are a serious European based birder or wildlife enthusiast then quite simply you need this book.
Its scope and detail may prove off-putting to beginners but trust me its worth every penny!

Insightful and life-affirming, 09 Nov 2008
Corvus is an enchanting book. There is no sentimentality here - indeed, Esther Woolfson goes to rigorous lengths to avoid anthropomorphism - and yet the entire book is infused with warmth, charm and humanity, whilst the birds themselves - very much the stars of the piece - are quite wonderful. The episodic narrative, charting the author's own journey of avian experience and discovery - punctuated by digressions on topics such as birds in folklore, bird physiology, bird evolution, bird flight and bird song - is completely compelling: I could barely put it down. The expositions themselves are equally interesting, hugely informed and informing, but never daunting. Beautifully written, the prose is spare but elegant, seemingly almost taking on the metre of bird song itself. Other significant themes also run, almost imperceptibly, through the book: the art of 'seeing' and observation, the scientific method, the idea of 'North', the comfort of home and family. This is not a 'heavy' book - it first came to my attention through hearing a very brief extract on (BBC) Radio 4 - but there is great sensitivity and wisdom here. If you've ever stood at a window or sat on a bench and watched a bird walk or hop or feed or fly, then Corvus will almost certainly enrich your life and provide a fresh, new perspective the next time you see a rook, crow, magpie or one of their feathered relations. A joy from cover to cover.

Rooks rule - ok?, 27 Oct 2008
A marvellous, magical book. I can't recommend it highly enough. Written with such intelligence, open mindedness and sensitivity. (I can only add that when i happened upon two rooks today in town, I spent some time standing there chatting to them - probably looking extremely silly, particularly to the birds themselves - but I could hardly pass them by without a word: it would have been most ill mannered.) This book delighted me and at one point made me cry. I send my warmest regards both to the author and to dear Chicken, with all good wishes for her longevity and very good health.

Brilliant writing - subtle and effective, 18 Sep 2008
Maybe Robert Macfarlane and Jay Griffiths should be forced to read this book, because without a single overdressed metaphor, without a single unnecessary word of any kind, it tells a series of subtle, clear and profoundly moving stories. It's a delight to meet Spike, and Chicken, and the other birds who soar and wing through the pages, the rhythmical, shapely pages. Envy! I wish I'd written this. Observation wonderful. Interesting that birds are so despised. I read this because having kept chickens I've also come to know and feed jackdaws and rooks, and all three kinds of bird are so bright and so interesting that I simply can't see why we once despised them. I shall read the sequel, if any.

SUPERB, BRILLIANT, FUNNY, 26 Aug 2008
This book should be read by everyone and anyone who has ever had a pet. It's funny stories and anecdotes about the author's life with birds are charming and moving. I couldn't put it down.

Funny, informative, a must buy!!!, 21 Aug 2008
The main theme of Corvus is the story of a baby rook owned by the autor but it also concerns broader subjects such as natural history and wild birds.

The parts about Woolfsons pet birds are a funny and touching potrait of a family and their pets, a little remeniscent of "my family and other animals".

The parts about natural history are more serious and require concentration but well worth it particularly the parts discussing birds relationship to dinosaurs.

I really loved this and hope that Esther Woolfson writes more of the same.

Brilliant for Identification, 15 Aug 2007

We come to expect quality books when they carry the RSPB name and logo and they do not let us down, my only slight quibble is that this particular book says on the front "UK's Best Selling field Guide." To my way of thinking it is a little large for a pocket guide. Carrying a camera field glasses is enough without a weighty book that you will struggle to get into a pocket.

Whether you are an armchair addict, or a twitcher of the first order, this guide and 70-minute CD are essential reference. The book and video introduce you to 800 species that are regularly and not so regularly found in Britain and Europe. The book contains beautiful photographs, including ones of the different plumages, both male, female and juvenile. There is information on habitat and virtually everything you need to know to obtain a true picture of each individual species.

A fantastic bird guide, 18 Dec 2005
This is a fantastic field guide for birdwatchers to have on their bookshelf. The photos are superb, and I personally find them much easier to use for bird identification, than the classic birdwatching field guides that have artists representations. It is a shame that this book is too big and heavy to use outdoors as a field guide (not that I would want to as it might get ruined). However the RSPB have thought of that and have a slimmed down pocket guide available as well.

First class RSPB and DK. Watch out Collins guides, there is a new kid on the block.

the best (non pocket )reference book there is, 29 Oct 2005
An excellent guide to all European birds from Iceland to Israel plus all the vagrants that have visited. The best part of this book is that it has all photos. Some guide books have drawings or coloured illustrations which sometimes are far removed from the bird you want to identify. Having said that this is a hefty book and therefore is not much use in the field, the paperback is smaller and lighter but I prefer this even so. It has a lot of bird info at the front and is the best complete guide I have come across.

Excellent reference book, visually fantastic, 23 May 2003
A solid, brick-like book, not one for carrying around in the field, but great for extra information and to pin down a specific identification. Easy to use and very clear - this has already become a firm favourite. Covering ecology as well as identification this book should be able to inform experts and beginners alike, without being boring or intimidating to either.

In keeping with the other RSPB guides, Complete Birds of Britain and Europe devotes a page to almost all British and European species, containing descriptive text, photographs and a line representation of the bird in flight. Male, female and juvenile are often depicted, with seasonal plumage and in flight pictures as well. An extensive checklist of much rarer species appears at the back.

The detail and authority of description exceeds that of other bird books, including the Collins guides. Rob Hume's efficiency in writing pocket books is evident here as he has used the same approach. The large pages are exploited to the limit and crammed full of information, but without feeling cluttered or inaccessible. However, where the RSPB books tower above their rivals is in the method of illustration. Large, clear photos are definitely my preference and the quality of photography is super, hence the top rating for the book - I haven't seen anything better.

Corvid crazy, 12 Nov 2008
As a youngster I used to be a keen ornithologist but, on reaching my teens, birds of the non-feathered variety captured my attention instead.

So, seeing this book in my local Waterstone's (sorry Amazon) I was fascinated and felt compelled to discover how a book of 200+ pages could be written soley about crows. Put simply, the book isn't just about crows (it focuses more on rooks and jackdaws) but is a celebration of the rural countryside of Britain combined with healthy chunks describing the domestic events within the Cocker household. The book is none the worse for that though, it just serves to illustrate the way our hectic everyday lives are inextricably linked to the natural world around us.

Indeed, whilst recently waiting to collect my Son from school I noticed for the first time the multitude of rooks and their ubiquitous Jackdaw companions. They have undoubtedly been present overhead whenever I've waited by the school gates - I'd just never noticed them before. That's the great thing about Mark Cocker's writing - it's served as the catalyst that's re-awakened my interest in the natural beauty surrounding me, beauty that I've overlooked for far too long.

A very atmospheric and evocative book, recommended.

Poorly written drivel, 15 Sep 2008
If you should happen to like writers who tell you what to see, interspersed with soggy metaphors, then this book is for you.
The author hasn't even the most basic knowledge of how to tell a story, trying to create something (moods?) by selecting emotive adjectives to 'enhance' what he tries to describe.

Mark Crocker has obviously never heard about the first rule in creative writing: Show, don't tell.

Unfortunately there was none of Amazon's usual excerpts on this one, because that would have saved me buying this book that I never will be able to read, mostly because of the awkward use of language.

If this is 'Exquisitely written...the work of one of our most gifted and original nature writers' (BBC Wildlife), then nature writing in UK is in a sad decline.

The Crow Road, 13 Sep 2008
Ever since I saw two crows (mother and father I presume) dive-bombing our cats who were near to their young fledgling who was taking his first "flight" from the nest in the tree at the back of our garden, I have been fascinated by their behaviour in particular and by the other crows in the neighbourhood in general. This has proven interesting indeed as the original crows' nest has been used again and again by presumably the same pair, who have raised more babies since the dive bombing incident. Their cawing in the morning has become our dawn chorus and whilst ostensibly a common occurrence, just by paying a bit more interest in these events has increased my enjoyment of our garden.
Now to this book. It is the latest in a recent line of excellent nature based books, which have extolled the hidden beauty of britain and the pleasure to be found in studying the apparently commonplace. This book especially scores because it charts a human journey and joy in an apparently bland landscape and quite frankly just wmakes you want to go out there and see these magnificent birds in action.
This book is shorter than some of it's peers and might have benefitted from some photographs or pictures, but I guess you can get these in any other bird guide so there you go.

a lovely book

First class guide to birds found in the British Isles, 29 Jun 2008
I read the reviews and decided to buy the book based on the high proportion of 5* ratings. I was not disappointed!

The book is the size of an average paperback, has a protective clear plastic sleeve, glossy pages, stunning photographs & great summaries on key facts of interest about each bird - definitely the best £7.99 I've spent in a long time!

This is the book you are looking for, 26 Nov 2007
I purchased this book along with the RSPB one .
however the Collins book was more descriptive with full coulour photo's and not drawings as the rspb's it also shows the birds in flight which helps you if you are a beginner less you might not be so quick with the binocc's
So well worth the pounds and five stars

Terrific Photography, 08 Aug 2007
If truth be told most of the birds books for sale these days are excellent for identification purposes. Printing techniques, particularly with the use of colour have improved dramatically and a book that would have cost £100 not many years ago, can now be purchased for a tenth of the price.

This book is full of good quality colour photographs that are ideal for identification. The book also tell you where in the British Isles a particular species is usually to be found. Whether the bird is to be found all year round or whether it is just a visitor to our shores. It also shows the birds in their different plumage: Male and female, juvenile etc.

Modern bird books consciously do not show photographs of eggs and I must admit it is something I miss, although I totally understand the reasoning behind it. All in all this is another of a number of books that are well worth purchasing if you have either a passing interest in birds or are more serious about bird watching.

Highly readible and excellent photographs, 10 Jul 2005
Collins Complete British Birds Photoguide has everything you would ever need in a bird book. It gives a very detailed introduction to British birds and a highly useful section on bird habitats, plumage, migration and movements and conservation at the start of the book without making the text sound too boring.

The photographs in the book are absolutely superb and show birds in every plumage; male and female, adult or juvenile, summer or winter and they are very clear. Each species account gives a description of plumage patterns, voice, where the bird is likely to be found and its status in the country at large, and also (which I found very useful) a bit on where the best place to find the bird is and at what time of year, the distribution maps are very clear and include a calendar bar to show if the bird in question is a year round resident or a visitor.

I found the text very easy to read (unlike most bird books which tend to be very scientific and hard to understand) and is a great book to have. Buy it, I guarantee you will not be wasting your money.

Excellent bird guide, 07 Jan 2005
This is the best bird indentifying book I've seen.
A great layout. Photos (not sketches) of each bird including male, female, juvenile....It also includes information on each bird size, voice, migration, habitat and areas. Also there are pictures of 'uncommon' visitor birds at the back and a lovely general introduction of habitats at the front of the book.

The Best at what it does., 18 Nov 2008
This is beyond any reasonable doubt the best portable field guide.
The other reviewers make that clear.

One of three essential books:

For beginners, or for more detailed information on commoner British Birds I would suggest that the excellent RSPB Handbook of British Birds (Ornithology) is a better choice.
For detailed ID info on rarer birds, Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic, The is probably the best.

I use all 3 frequently (the last mainly for birds I haven't seen myself! Sigh!)the RSPB book is also a very reasonable price and pocketable, the Western Palearctic book is neither cheap (good value nonetheless) nor pocketable.

Birds - lots of feathers, 13 Apr 2008
I bought this book to identify the little blighters who hop and fly merrily around my garden. It's a great book with good images and text. The only bird book you'll ever need.

BRILLIANT BOOK!, 25 Mar 2008
I cannot recommend this book khighly enough. I have being birding for 25 years and have amassed a collection of c60 bird books on European birds. This is equal to 50 of them TOGETHER! The illustrations and descriptions are excellent. Many books carry detailed descriptions and photographs on birds in winter plumage and then state that they are summer visitors (or vice versa)! This book is invaluable and ever birder should have at least one copy

First class field guide, 23 Jan 2008
An excellent field guide with brilliant drawings of all the birds in their different plumages. Really does help when identifying rare birds or ones which you are unsure of.

Best bird guide ever!!!!, 29 Oct 2007
The best field guide I have ever owned. Beautiful illustrations and ideal text (plus illustrations and text on opposite pages!!!). It is also comprehensive and features many 'common' vagrants too. If you are a serious European based birder or wildlife enthusiast then quite simply you need this book.
Its scope and detail may prove off-putting to beginners but trust me its worth every penny!

Insightful and life-affirming, 09 Nov 2008
Corvus is an enchanting book. There is no sentimentality here - indeed, Esther Woolfson goes to rigorous lengths to avoid anthropomorphism - and yet the entire book is infused with warmth, charm and humanity, whilst the birds themselves - very much the stars of the piece - are quite wonderful. The episodic narrative, charting the author's own journey of avian experience and discovery - punctuated by digressions on topics such as birds in folklore, bird physiology, bird evolution, bird flight and bird song - is completely compelling: I could barely put it down. The expositions themselves are equally interesting, hugely informed and informing, but never daunting. Beautifully written, the prose is spare but elegant, seemingly almost taking on the metre of bird song itself. Other significant themes also run, almost imperceptibly, through the book: the art of 'seeing' and observation, the scientific method, the idea of 'North', the comfort of home and family. This is not a 'heavy' book - it first came to my attention through hearing a very brief extract on (BBC) Radio 4 - but there is great sensitivity and wisdom here. If you've ever stood at a window or sat on a bench and watched a bird walk or hop or feed or fly, then Corvus will almost certainly enrich your life and provide a fresh, new perspective the next time you see a rook, crow, magpie or one of their feathered relations. A joy from cover to cover.

Rooks rule - ok?, 27 Oct 2008
A marvellous, magical book. I can't recommend it highly enough. Written with such intelligence, open mindedness and sensitivity. (I can only add that when i happened upon two rooks today in town, I spent some time standing there chatting to them - probably looking extremely silly, particularly to the birds themselves - but I could hardly pass them by without a word: it would have been most ill mannered.) This book delighted me and at one point made me cry. I send my warmest regards both to the author and to dear Chicken, with all good wishes for her longevity and very good health.

Brilliant writing - subtle and effective, 18 Sep 2008
Maybe Robert Macfarlane and Jay Griffiths should be forced to read this book, because without a single overdressed metaphor, without a single unnecessary word of any kind, it tells a series of subtle, clear and profoundly moving stories. It's a delight to meet Spike, and Chicken, and the other birds who soar and wing through the pages, the rhythmical, shapely pages. Envy! I wish I'd written this. Observation wonderful. Interesting that birds are so despised. I read this because having kept chickens I've also come to know and feed jackdaws and rooks, and all three kinds of bird are so bright and so interesting that I simply can't see why we once despised them. I shall read the sequel, if any.

SUPERB, BRILLIANT, FUNNY, 26 Aug 2008
This book should be read by everyone and anyone who has ever had a pet. It's funny stories and anecdotes about the author's life with birds are charming and moving. I couldn't put it down.

Funny, informative, a must buy!!!, 21 Aug 2008
The main theme of Corvus is the story of a baby rook owned by the autor but it also concerns broader subjects such as natural history and wild birds.

The parts about Woolfsons pet birds are a funny and touching potrait of a family and their pets, a little remeniscent of "my family and other animals".

The parts about natural history are more serious and require concentration but well worth it particularly the parts discussing birds relationship to dinosaurs.

I really loved this and hope that Esther Woolfson writes more of the same.

Brilliant for Identification, 15 Aug 2007

We come to expect quality books when they carry the RSPB name and logo and they do not let us down, my only slight quibble is that this particular book says on the front "UK's Best Selling field Guide." To my way of thinking it is a little large for a pocket guide. Carrying a camera field glasses is enough without a weighty book that you will struggle to get into a pocket.

Whether you are an armchair addict, or a twitcher of the first order, this guide and 70-minute CD are essential reference. The book and video introduce you to 800 species that are regularly and not so regularly found in Britain and Europe. The book contains beautiful photographs, including ones of the different plumages, both male, female and juvenile. There is information on habitat and virtually everything you need to know to obtain a true picture of each individual species.

A fantastic bird guide, 18 Dec 2005
This is a fantastic field guide for birdwatchers to have on their bookshelf. The photos are superb, and I personally find them much easier to use for bird identification, than the classic birdwatching field guides that have artists representations. It is a shame that this book is too big and heavy to use outdoors as a field guide (not that I would want to as it might get ruined). However the RSPB have thought of that and have a slimmed down pocket guide available as well.

First class RSPB and DK. Watch out Collins guides, there is a new kid on the block.

the best (non pocket )reference book there is, 29 Oct 2005
An excellent guide to all European birds from Iceland to Israel plus all the vagrants that have visited. The best part of this book is that it has all photos. Some guide books have drawings or coloured illustrations which sometimes are far removed from the bird you want to identify. Having said that this is a hefty book and therefore is not much use in the field, the paperback is smaller and lighter but I prefer this even so. It has a lot of bird info at the front and is the best complete guide I have come across.

Excellent reference book, visually fantastic, 23 May 2003
A solid, brick-like book, not one for carrying around in the field, but great for extra information and to pin down a specific identification. Easy to use and very clear - this has already become a firm favourite. Covering ecology as well as identification this book should be able to inform experts and beginners alike, without being boring or intimidating to either.

In keeping with the other RSPB guides, Complete Birds of Britain and Europe devotes a page to almost all British and European species, containing descriptive text, photographs and a line representation of the bird in flight. Male, female and juvenile are often depicted, with seasonal plumage and in flight pictures as well. An extensive checklist of much rarer species appears at the back.

The detail and authority of description exceeds that of other bird books, including the Collins guides. Rob Hume's efficiency in writing pocket books is evident here as he has used the same approach. The large pages are exploited to the limit and crammed full of information, but without feeling cluttered or inaccessible. However, where the RSPB books tower above their rivals is in the method of illustration. Large, clear photos are definitely my preference and the quality of photography is super, hence the top rating for the book - I haven't seen anything better.

Corvid crazy, 12 Nov 2008
As a youngster I used to be a keen ornithologist but, on reaching my teens, birds of the non-feathered variety captured my attention instead.

So, seeing this book in my local Waterstone's (sorry Amazon) I was fascinated and felt compelled to discover how a book of 200+ pages could be written soley about crows. Put simply, the book isn't just about crows (it focuses more on rooks and jackdaws) but is a celebration of the rural countryside of Britain combined with healthy chunks describing the domestic events within the Cocker household. The book is none the worse for that though, it just serves to illustrate the way our hectic everyday lives are inextricably linked to the natural world around us.

Indeed, whilst recently waiting to collect my Son from school I noticed for the first time the multitude of rooks and their ubiquitous Jackdaw companions. They have undoubtedly been present overhead whenever I've waited by the school gates - I'd just never noticed them before. That's the great thing about Mark Cocker's writing - it's served as the catalyst that's re-awakened my interest in the natural beauty surrounding me, beauty that I've overlooked for far too long.

A very atmospheric and evocative book, recommended.

Poorly written drivel, 15 Sep 2008
If you should happen to like writers who tell you what to see, interspersed with soggy metaphors, then this book is for you.
The author hasn't even the most basic knowledge of how to tell a story, trying to create something (moods?) by selecting emotive adjectives to 'enhance' what he tries to describe.

Mark Crocker has obviously never heard about the first rule in creative writing: Show, don't tell.

Unfortunately there was none of Amazon's usual excerpts on this one, because that would have saved me buying this book that I never will be able to read, mostly because of the awkward use of language.

If this is 'Exquisitely written...the work of one of our most gifted and original nature writers' (BBC Wildlife), then nature writing in UK is in a sad decline.

The Crow Road, 13 Sep 2008
Ever since I saw two crows (mother and father I presume) dive-bombing our cats who were near to their young fledgling who was taking his first "flight" from the nest in the tree at the back of our garden, I have been fascinated by their behaviour in particular and by the other crows in the neighbourhood in general. This has proven interesting indeed as the original crows' nest has been used again and again by presumably the same pair, who have raised more babies since the dive bombing incident. Their cawing in the morning has become our dawn chorus and whilst ostensibly a common occurrence, just by paying a bit more interest in these events has increased my enjoyment of our garden.
Now to this book. It is the latest in a recent line of excellent nature based books, which have extolled the hidden beauty of britain and the pleasure to be found in studying the apparently commonplace. This book especially scores because it charts a human journey and joy in an apparently bland landscape and quite frankly just wmakes you want to go out there and see these magnificent birds in action.
This book is shorter than some of it's peers and might have benefitted from some photographs or pictures, but I guess you can get these in any other bird guide so there you go.

a lovely book

brilliant read, 12 Aug 2008
brilliant read with a good twist at the end had me in stitches of laughter and i could not put it down. its a better book if you know a bit about birds. i will be looking out for any new books by Rory m

The pedant allows a proof reading howler, 05 Jul 2008
Rory McGrath is a self confessed pedant which comes across in this entertaining and educational book. I would have given it 5* but for the fact that the second half was a bit long, I worked out the twist long before the end (it must be obvious if I managed that!) and worst of all he spelt the eponymous Harrier as Montague's - there is no 'e', it's Montagu's tut tut tut!

Despite that it is well written, an easy read and there's some good schoolboy humour in it which did have me laughing out loud. I would have liked to know what happened to his friend Kramer who I thought was a great character.

Well worth a read, probably better if you have an interest in birdwatching.






More to this thank meets the eye, 21 Jun 2008
Funny; romantic; full of anecdotes and facts about British birds. And it has a huge, heartwarming twist on practically the last page, which when you've grasped it, works its way back through the whole of the rest of the book and lights up virtually everything else you've read. Highly recommended.

I can even excuse his being a Gooner, 13 Jun 2008
Part autobiography, part birding memoir, this is a light-hearted, funny glimpse into the world of British birdwatching as seen through the eyes of the author, a TV comedian and bird devotee. A great mix of amusing anecdotes, Linnean cleassification and tales of teenage angst, with a denoument that I guarantee will send you off smiling. An excellent book, well worth a read.

Hilarious, lovely and really moving!, 07 May 2008
This is a beautiful story - unexpected, superbly written and immensely satisfying! I loved it! I'm a fan of Rory McGrath - he's just hilarious and so cheeky - and as a comedian and a graduate of modern language, the writing was pure comic genius in places. Its touching and earthy. There's suspense and intrigue and romance and surprises! Highly recommended!!!

First class guide to birds found in the British Isles, 29 Jun 2008
I read the reviews and decided to buy the book based on the high proportion of 5* ratings. I was not disappointed!

The book is the size of an average paperback, has a protective clear plastic sleeve, glossy pages, stunning photographs & great summaries on key facts of interest about each bird - definitely the best £7.99 I've spent in a long time!

This is the book you are looking for, 26 Nov 2007
I purchased this book along with the RSPB one .
however the Collins book was more descriptive with full coulour photo's and not drawings as the rspb's it also shows the birds in flight which helps you if you are a beginner less you might not be so quick with the binocc's
So well worth the pounds and five stars

Terrific Photography, 08 Aug 2007
If truth be told most of the birds books for sale these days are excellent for identification purposes. Printing techniques, particularly with the use of colour have improved dramatically and a book that would have cost £100 not many years ago, can now be purchased for a tenth of the price.

This book is full of good quality colour photographs that are ideal for identification. The book also tell you where in the British Isles a particular species is usually to be found. Whether the bird is to be found all year round or whether it is just a visitor to our shores. It also shows the birds in their different plumage: Male and female, juvenile etc.

Modern bird books consciously do not show photographs of eggs and I must admit it is something I miss, although I totally understand the reasoning behind it. All in all this is another of a number of books that are well worth purchasing if you have either a passing interest in birds or are more serious about bird watching.

Highly readible and excellent photographs, 10 Jul 2005
Collins Complete British Birds Photoguide has everything you would ever need in a bird book. It gives a very detailed introduction to British birds and a highly useful section on bird habitats, plumage, migration and movements and conservation at the start of the book without making the text sound too boring.

The photographs in the book are absolutely superb and show birds in every plumage; male and female, adult or juvenile, summer or winter and they are very clear. Each species account gives a description of plumage patterns, voice, where the bird is likely to be found and its status in the country at large, and also (which I found very useful) a bit on where the best place to find the bird is and at what time of year, the distribution maps are very clear and include a calendar bar to show if the bird in question is a year round resident or a visitor.

I found the text very easy to read (unlike most bird books which tend to be very scientific and hard to understand) and is a great book to have. Buy it, I guarantee you will not be wasting your money.

Excellent bird guide, 07 Jan 2005
This is the best bird indentifying book I've seen.
A great layout. Photos (not sketches) of each bird including male, female, juvenile....It also includes information on each bird size, voice, migration, habitat and areas. Also there are pictures of 'uncommon' visitor birds at the back and a lovely general introduction of habitats at the front of the book.

The Best at what it does., 18 Nov 2008
This is beyond any reasonable doubt the best portable field guide.
The other reviewers make that clear.

One of three essential books:

For beginners, or for more detailed information on commoner British Birds I would suggest that the excellent RSPB Handbook of British Birds (Ornithology) is a better choice.
For detailed ID info on rarer birds, Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic, The is probably the best.

I use all 3 frequently (the last mainly for birds I haven't seen myself! Sigh!)the RSPB book is also a very reasonable price and pocketable, the Western Palearctic book is neither cheap (good value nonetheless) nor pocketable.

Birds - lots of feathers, 13 Apr 2008
I bought this book to identify the little blighters who hop and fly merrily around my garden. It's a great book with good images and text. The only bird book you'll ever need.

BRILLIANT BOOK!, 25 Mar 2008
I cannot recommend this book khighly enough. I have being birding for 25 years and have amassed a collection of c60 bird books on European birds. This is equal to 50 of them TOGETHER! The illustrations and descriptions are excellent. Many books carry detailed descriptions and photographs on birds in winter plumage and then state that they are summer visitors (or vice versa)! This book is invaluable and ever birder should have at least one copy

First class field guide, 23 Jan 2008
An excellent field guide with brilliant drawings of all the birds in their different plumages. Really does help when identifying rare birds or ones which you are unsure of.

Best bird guide ever!!!!, 29 Oct 2007
The best field guide I have ever owned. Beautiful illustrations and ideal text (plus illustrations and text on opposite pages!!!). It is also comprehensive and features many 'common' vagrants too. If you are a serious European based birder or wildlife enthusiast then quite simply you need this book.
Its scope and detail may prove off-putting to beginners but trust me its worth every penny!

Insightful and life-affirming, 09 Nov 2008
Corvus is an enchanting book. There is no sentimentality here - indeed, Esther Woolfson goes to rigorous lengths to avoid anthropomorphism - and yet the entire book is infused with warmth, charm and humanity, whilst the birds themselves - very much the stars of the piece - are quite wonderful. The episodic narrative, charting the author's own journey of avian experience and discovery - punctuated by digressions on topics such as birds in folklore, bird physiology, bird evolution, bird flight and bird song - is completely compelling: I could barely put it down. The expositions themselves are equally interesting, hugely informed and informing, but never daunting. Beautifully written, the prose is spare but elegant, seemingly almost taking on the metre of bird song itself. Other significant themes also run, almost imperceptibly, through the book: the art of 'seeing' and observation, the scientific method, the idea of 'North', the comfort of home and family. This is not a 'heavy' book - it first came to my attention through hearing a very brief extract on (BBC) Radio 4 - but there is great sensitivity and wisdom here. If you've ever stood at a window or sat on a bench and watched a bird walk or hop or feed or fly, then Corvus will almost certainly enrich your life and provide a fresh, new perspective the next time you see a rook, crow, magpie or one of their feathered relations. A joy from cover to cover.

Rooks rule - ok?, 27 Oct 2008
A marvellous, magical book. I can't recommend it highly enough. Written with such intelligence, open mindedness and sensitivity. (I can only add that when i happened upon two rooks today in town, I spent some time standing there chatting to them - probably looking extremely silly, particularly to the birds themselves - but I could hardly pass them by without a word: it would have been most ill mannered.) This book delighted me and at one point made me cry. I send my warmest regards both to the author and to dear Chicken, with all good wishes for her longevity and very good health.

Brilliant writing - subtle and effective, 18 Sep 2008
Maybe Robert Macfarlane and Jay Griffiths should be forced to read this book, because without a single overdressed metaphor, without a single unnecessary word of any kind, it tells a series of subtle, clear and profoundly moving stories. It's a delight to meet Spike, and Chicken, and the other birds who soar and wing through the pages, the rhythmical, shapely pages. Envy! I wish I'd written this. Observation wonderful. Interesting that birds are so despised. I read this because having kept chickens I've also come to know and feed jackdaws and rooks, and all three kinds of bird are so bright and so interesting that I simply can't see why we once despised them. I shall read the sequel, if any.

SUPERB, BRILLIANT, FUNNY, 26 Aug 2008
This book should be read by everyone and anyone who has ever had a pet. It's funny stories and anecdotes about the author's life with birds are charming and moving. I couldn't put it down.

Funny, informative, a must buy!!!, 21 Aug 2008
The main theme of Corvus is the story of a baby rook owned by the autor but it also concerns broader subjects such as natural history and wild birds.

The parts about Woolfsons pet birds are a funny and touching potrait of a family and their pets, a little remeniscent of "my family and other animals".

The parts about natural history are more serious and require concentration but well worth it particularly the parts discussing birds relationship to dinosaurs.

I really loved this and hope that Esther Woolfson writes more of the same.

Brilliant for Identification, 15 Aug 2007

We come to expect quality books when they carry the RSPB name and logo and they do not let us down, my only slight quibble is that this particular book says on the front "UK's Best Selling field Guide." To my way of thinking it is a little large for a pocket guide. Carrying a camera field glasses is enough without a weighty book that you will struggle to get into a pocket.

Whether you are an armchair addict, or a twitcher of the first order, this guide and 70-minute CD are essential reference. The book and video introduce you to 800 species that are regularly and not so regularly found in Britain and Europe. The book contains beautiful photographs, including ones of the different plumages, both male, female and juvenile. There is information on habitat and virtually everything you need to know to obtain a true picture of each individual species.

A fantastic bird guide, 18 Dec 2005
This is a fantastic field guide for birdwatchers to have on their bookshelf. The photos are superb, and I personally find them much easier to use for bird identification, than the classic birdwatching field guides that have artists representations. It is a shame that this book is too big and heavy to use outdoors as a field guide (not that I would want to as it might get ruined). However the RSPB have thought of that and have a slimmed down pocket guide available as well.

First class RSPB and DK. Watch out Collins guides, there is a new kid on the block.

the best (non pocket )reference book there is, 29 Oct 2005
An excellent guide to all European birds from Iceland to Israel plus all the vagrants that have visited. The best part of this book is that it has all photos. Some guide books have drawings or coloured illustrations which sometimes are far removed from the bird you want to identify. Having said that this is a hefty book and therefore is not much use in the field, the paperback is smaller and lighter but I prefer this even so. It has a lot of bird info at the front and is the best complete guide I have come across.

Excellent reference book, visually fantastic, 23 May 2003
A solid, brick-like book, not one for carrying around in the field, but great for extra information and to pin down a specific identification. Easy to use and very clear - this has already become a firm favourite. Covering ecology as well as identification this book should be able to inform experts and beginners alike, without being boring or intimidating to either.

In keeping with the other RSPB guides, Complete Birds of Britain and Europe devotes a page to almost all British and European species, containing descriptive text, photographs and a line representation of the bird in flight. Male, female and juvenile are often depicted, with seasonal plumage and in flight pictures as well. An extensive checklist of much rarer species appears at the back.

The detail and authority of description exceeds that of other bird books, including the Collins guides. Rob Hume's efficiency in writing pocket books is evident here as he has used the same approach. The large pages are exploited to the limit and crammed full of information, but without feeling cluttered or inaccessible. However, where the RSPB books tower above their rivals is in the method of illustration. Large, clear photos are definitely my preference and the quality of photography is super, hence the top rating for the book - I haven't seen anything better.

Corvid crazy, 12 Nov 2008
As a youngster I used to be a keen ornithologist but, on reaching my teens, birds of the non-feathered variety captured my attention instead.

So, seeing this book in my local Waterstone's (sorry Amazon) I was fascinated and felt compelled to discover how a book of 200+ pages could be written soley about crows. Put simply, the book isn't just about crows (it focuses more on rooks and jackdaws) but is a celebration of the rural countryside of Britain combined with healthy chunks describing the domestic events within the Cocker household. The book is none the worse for that though, it just serves to illustrate the way our hectic everyday lives are inextricably linked to the natural world around us.

Indeed, whilst recently waiting to collect my Son from school I noticed for the first time the multitude of rooks and their ubiquitous Jackdaw companions. They have undoubtedly been present overhead whenever I've waited by the school gates - I'd just never noticed them before. That's the great thing about Mark Cocker's writing - it's served as the catalyst that's re-awakened my interest in the natural beauty surrounding me, beauty that I've overlooked for far too long.

A very atmospheric and evocative book, recommended.

Poorly written drivel, 15 Sep 2008
If you should happen to like writers who tell you what to see, interspersed with soggy metaphors, then this book is for you.
The author hasn't even the most basic knowledge of how to tell a story, trying to create something (moods?) by selecting emotive adjectives to 'enhance' what he tries to describe.

Mark Crocker has obviously never heard about the first rule in creative writing: Show, don't tell.

Unfortunately there was none of Amazon's usual excerpts on this one, because that would have saved me buying this book that I never will be able to read, mostly because of the awkward use of language.

If this is 'Exquisitely written...the work of one of our most gifted and original nature writers' (BBC Wildlife), then nature writing in UK is in a sad decline.

The Crow Road, 13 Sep 2008
Ever since I saw two crows (mother and father I presume) dive-bombing our cats who were near to their young fledgling who was taking his first "flight" from the nest in the tree at the back of our garden, I have been fascinated by their behaviour in particular and by the other crows in the neighbourhood in general. This has proven interesting indeed as the original crows' nest has been used again and again by presumably the same pair, who have raised more babies since the dive bombing incident. Their cawing in the morning has become our dawn chorus and whilst ostensibly a common occurrence, just by paying a bit more interest in these events has increased my enjoyment of our garden.
Now to this book. It is the latest in a recent line of excellent nature based books, which have extolled the hidden beauty of britain and the pleasure to be found in studying the apparently commonplace. This book especially scores because it charts a human journey and joy in an apparently bland landscape and quite frankly just wmakes you want to go out there and see these magnificent birds in action.
This book is shorter than some of it's peers and might have benefitted from some photographs or pictures, but I guess you can get these in any other bird guide so there you go.

a lovely book

brilliant read, 12 Aug 2008
brilliant read with a good twist at the end had me in stitches of laughter and i could not put it down. its a better book if you know a bit about birds. i will be looking out for any new books by Rory m

The pedant allows a proof reading howler, 05 Jul 2008
Rory McGrath is a self confessed pedant which comes across in this entertaining and educational book. I would have given it 5* but for the fact that the second half was a bit long, I worked out the twist long before the end (it must be obvious if I managed that!) and worst of all he spelt the eponymous Harrier as Montague's - there is no 'e', it's Montagu's tut tut tut!

Despite that it is well written, an easy read and there's some good schoolboy humour in it which did have me laughing out loud. I would have liked to know what happened to his friend Kramer who I thought was a great character.

Well worth a read, probably better if you have an interest in birdwatching.






More to this thank meets the eye, 21 Jun 2008
Funny; romantic; full of anecdotes and facts about British birds. And it has a huge, heartwarming twist on practically the last page, which when you've grasped it, works its way back through the whole of the rest of the book and lights up virtually everything else you've read. Highly recommended.

I can even excuse his being a Gooner, 13 Jun 2008
Part autobiography, part birding memoir, this is a light-hearted, funny glimpse into the world of British birdwatching as seen through the eyes of the author, a TV comedian and bird devotee. A great mix of amusing anecdotes, Linnean cleassification and tales of teenage angst, with a denoument that I guarantee will send you off smiling. An excellent book, well worth a read.

Hilarious, lovely and really moving!, 07 May 2008
This is a beautiful story - unexpected, superbly written and immensely satisfying! I loved it! I'm a fan of Rory McGrath - he's just hilarious and so cheeky - and as a comedian and a graduate of modern language, the writing was pure comic genius in places. Its touching and earthy. There's suspense and intrigue and romance and surprises! Highly recommended!!!

great for non-twitchers ..., 21 Aug 2008
Brilliant book, with just enough info for anyone who has a general interest in that little bird over there with the interesting call. Good clear pics that are actually photos and not some artist's impression (always puts me off).

this is my second copy. first copy got left on a hill in scotland somewhere ...

Excellent book, 06 May 2008
Lovely pictures, facts up to date and very useful, fits in pocket nicely.

My only gripe is that there is no information regarding the birds eggs perhaps this is intentional to help stop egg collectors pilfering nests? but it would have been hard to cram any more information into the book.

It gets my 5 stars!



A excellent guide, 31 Aug 2007
Small, yet packs in so much information. This book goes out with me in the field every time. Good value too!

Essential, 03 Aug 2007
This nice little pocket guide is essential for everyone who is beginning to observe birds .It contains all the species that one is likely to find in the British Isles .
Identification of birds is made easy by comparing the birds with the most similar species and highlighting the differences.
This guide will fit into any small back pack and will resist the past of time very well .
Reasonably priced and of a very nice size this guide and a pair of binoculars is all you need to start bird watching.


Find birds you never knew existed!, 30 Jul 2007
Having been discharged from hospital and told to take it easy was forced to slow down and start walking instead of jogging.

I kept on finding birds in the countryside that I had vague memories of from childhood but was unsure of what I was seeing.

I bought this book and a small set of binoculars and found it very helpful. The photos and text within are first class. I have become a bit of an anorak as a result of this book and often end up sitting in peace and quiet watching birds and attempting to identify them!!

I would highly recommend it.

First class guide to birds found in the British Isles, 29 Jun 2008
I read the reviews and decided to buy the book based on the high proportion of 5* ratings. I was not disappointed!

The book is the size of an average paperback, has a protective clear plastic sleeve, glossy pages, stunning photographs & great summaries on key facts of interest about each bird - definitely the best £7.99 I've spent in a long time!

This is the book you are looking for, 26 Nov 2007
I purchased this book along with the RSPB one .
however the Collins book was more descriptive with full coulour photo's and not drawings as the rspb's it also shows the birds in flight which helps you if you are a beginner less you might not be so quick with the binocc's
So well worth the pounds and five stars

Terrific Photography, 08 Aug 2007
If truth be told most of the birds books for sale these days are excellent for identification purposes. Printing techniques, particularly with the use of colour have improved dramatically and a book that would have cost £100 not many years ago, can now be purchased for a tenth of the price.

This book is full of good quality colour photographs that are ideal for identification. The book also tell you where in the British Isles a particular species is usually to be found. Whether the bird is to be found all year round or whether it is just a visitor to our shores. It also shows the birds in their different plumage: Male and female, juvenile etc.

Modern bird books consciously do not show photographs of eggs and I must admit it is something I miss, although I totally understand the reasoning behind it. All in all this is another of a number of books