Birds Song & Calls of Britain & Northern Europe

by Geoff Sample

This field guide helps to identify bird sounds. The guide is organized by habitat, with atmospheric backgrounds and voice-overs discussing how to tell the difference between each species, so the reader can quickly learn all the calls he can hear when visiting his local wood, or marshland RSPB reserve. Over 158 species are covered, the focus being on common birds and birds that are difficult to separate visually, but easy when the calls are heard. The accompanying booklet gives background information on each species, plus an introductory section on bird song, where and when it can be heard, and how to make your own recordings.

Genres: Reference, Birds, Nonfiction, Natural History, Nature

128 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1996

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book and CD combination that uses plain and simple language to help develop the skills to identify birds through their calls and songs. Sample is largely self-taught and this experience has taught him a number of hints and tips that he passes on in this work that makes identifying birds by their calls a lot easier. The CDs are very helpful as they keep the background sounds and Sample describes when and where the recordings were made, giving additional ways to identify birds based on where and when a particular call is heard. Not only that, the CDs are great to listen to alone both to develop your skills further and just as relaxing background music.

[Cidney · Rating 1 out of 5]

This has a lot of information but compared to the last book I read on identifying birds this is the poorer version. It does give you information for each bird but there are no colour photographs, in fact there are no photographs at all, presumably they are assuming that you have prior knowledge of the birds! But I don't. It does come with two cd's but I couldn't get them to work, or rather my cd player kept rejecting them!

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly useful guide to encourage using your ears rather than just your eyes. Good quality recordings in a wide variety of habitats.