Field Guide to the Birds of Britain

by Reader's Digest Association

Understanding birds; how to identify birds; birds of Britain; birdwatching as a hobby.

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

320 pages, Paperback

Published March 29, 2001

About the author

The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. is a global media and direct marketing company based in Chappaqua, New York, best known for its flagship publication founded in 1922, Reader's Digest. The company's headquarters are in New York City, where it moved from Pleasantville, New York.

The company was founded by DeWitt and Lila Wallace in 1922 with the first publication of Reader's Digest magazine, but has grown to include a diverse range of magazines, books, music, DVDs and online content.

Reviews

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this one up in a house clearance. Given that it came out in the early 1980s, a lot of the information regarding distribution is massively out of date - as one example, LITTLE EGRETS are listed as rare summer visitors to the east coast, whereas today they're widespread across pretty much the whole of the UK. However, the history and taxonomic detail hasn't aged, and the paragraphs about each bird are filled with interesting titbits. I had no idea that the cormorant was a member of the pelican family, for example, or that male mallards don't quack. The best thing about this thick book are the colour drawings and watercolour illustrations of each species, which are very picturesque.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming old bird guide full of lovely illustrations of British Birds.

It isn't practical as a field guide due to outdated information and size but as a curiosity it's well worth owning. I got my copy from a charity shop for £2.50!

[Richard Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good field guide.

[Brian Robbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doesn't set out to be comprehensive, but what it does, it does really well. The illustrations are brilliant.