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Hugh Harrop

Rob Hume

Britain's Birds: An Identification Guide to the Birds of Britain and Ireland Digital – 1 January 2017

by Hugh Harrop (Author), Rob Hume (Author), David Tipling (Author),

299 ratings

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Product details

Publisher : Princeton University Press (1 January 2017)
Language : English
Digital : 560 pages
ISBN-10 : 1400880661
ISBN-13 : 978-1400880669

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299 ratings

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5 star		88%
4 star		10%
3 star		2%
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Martin Johnson

This is the new standard. Once again WildGuides raise the bar.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 August 2016

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Really pleased with this book. Obviously comparisons will be made with the Collins Bird Guide which has been my "Go-To" for a long time, but I always felt that if a guide using photographs could be made, it would have the immediate advantage of appearing as what you see through binoculars or a scope. In the past, valiant attempts have been made and although interesting, lacked much of the information required in the field such as juveniles or moult stages and were just pretty pictures of coffee table interest. This beast (it is a hefty tome) just gets it right on so many levels. Physically bigger than the Collins, but the typeface is easier to read, the 560 pages over the 448 of the Collins and the fact that it covers Britain's Birds rather than Europe, has meant it "breathes" on the page and each bird has sufficient room to enable distinguishing features to be set amongst the main photos. The text is generally conversational, like having a knowledgable friend giving you identification tips, although technical language is used where appropriate. It is up to date (to end of March 2016), it has really good maps, conservation status, British & Irish lists and legislation. I can't fault it. I usually prefer a hardback for durability but this is well stitched and folds flat without any stressing. One to get.

54 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

An excellent book. In my opinion the best bird identification ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 April 2017

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An excellent book. In my opinion the best bird identification book out there, the pictures & the layout are better than any other bird book iv looked at, the book is well made, a bit heavy but no heavier than my other books of similar size & can easily be carried in a small day pack for use in the field, iv taken mine out several times a week since i purchased it in February this year & unlike some outer books the pages are not comming away.
An excellent book, if you go bird watching no matter how experienced this is a book to have.

12 people found this helpful

Phil Webster

Excellent if you want a bird ID guide with photos

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 October 2017

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If you want a bird identification guide which uses photographs rather than paintings, then I would certainly recommend this excellent and beautiful book.

Personally, I prefer a book with paintings, because the artist can create a “composite bird”, highlighting the key identifying features of a species.

Nevertheless, I bought this book for two reasons: firstly, as an alternative and “back-up” for identification purposes; and secondly, for the aesthetic pleasure of browsing through the beautiful photographs. The book is excellent for both of these purposes.

However, I have to say that this book will not replace “The RSPB Handbook of British Birds” as my number one book for British birds. The reason for this is that the book reviewed here only contains brief information about each bird’s habitat, population and distribution.

The RSPB Handbook, on the other hand, is much more than just an identification guide. It also contains information on habitat, habits, food, breeding behaviour, distribution, movements, migration, population and conservation. So if you want to know something about the lives of the birds you are identifying and enjoying, then the RSPB Handbook is the one to get.

I must also mention one other fault with “Britain’s Birds”. I looked to see what population figures it gave for two of my favourite birds: Kestrels and Buzzards. It gives figures of 58,000 pairs for the Kestrel and 40,500 pairs for the Buzzard. I’m sure that these figures are out-of-date and incorrect.

Statistics produced by both the RSPB and the BTO show that Buzzard numbers have recovered over the last ten years, but that Kestrel numbers have declined, making the Buzzard now the most numerous UK bird of prey. Both RSPB and BTO give figures of less than 50,000 pairs for the Kestrel, and somewhere between 57,000 and 79,000 pairs for the Buzzard.

It’s disappointing that this book, which was only published last year, could not get these facts right. But the book is still worth four stars – and the photos are worth five.

Phil Webster.

4 people found this helpful

Mr Allan R Meadows

This book is a gem!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 August 2016

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Haven't put this down since in came through the door. Quality guide throughout as far as I'm concerned. As always with bird guides there will be those that don't like it for one reason or another. For me it's up there with the best guides currently on the market. Will by another for the car!

12 people found this helpful

Cheerful Fellow

An excellent Photographic guide that boosts ID confidence skills.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 March 2018

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I don't think that there will ever be the perfect bird identification guide and I tend to use several because they all have their blind spots or more fairly, limits due to volume restrictions. However, this is the one I carry and use the most. The large identification photographs are a real bonus and it doesn't over or underwhelm with text. The other guides that I like that I think complement it are, The Crossley ID Guide Britain & Ireland by Richard Crossley and Dominic Couzens, also published by Princeton, which is particularly good on seasonal plumage differences and juveniles/immature bird stages, the rspb Birds of Britain and Europe (The Definitive Photographic Field Guide) by Bob Hume, published by DK and the very convenient rspb pocket Birds of Britain and Europe by Jonathan Elphick and John Woodward, also published by DK. I like to carry the latter pocket book on more casual occasions or simply when I don't want to carry weight. Weight and size is the only down side of the book under review, since you either need large and strong pockets to carry it around with you or carry bag.

One person found this helpful

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