First of all, this covers 631 species accepted into the British & Irish lists by the end of 2019. It is a monumental book of 576 pages, so it would be a little weighty to carry around in the field- hopefully the e book will follow like the other excellent WILDguides.
I did not buy the first edition but having seen previews of this one, I decided to splash out as I am a fan of photoguides if they are done right. Perhaps "splashing out" is not the right expression, as for £20, this is a steal, especially if you can get it cheaper like I did. The modern preference for photo montages are very educational, but can suffer from images that are too small. There is no artwork here just incredible photographs that show off all of the species identification features in a positive way.
However, do we really need another ID guide for Britain's birds as there are so many terrific guides and apps available? Personally, I don't think so but this book takes ID to another level with a bewildering array of photographs taken from every angle, almost every conceivable plumage that are brilliantly laid out on the page so most species are given the ultimate treatment within the confines of the page so it's easy to digest in conjunction with the accompanying text and pointer boxes- a very important consideration that a lot of guides simply do not address.
I spent about an hour when the book arrived, just casually browsing through, so this review is not hugely extensive. Each common or scarce species is given amp!e coverage, even extreme rarities like Green Warbler and Masked Shrike have images. The distribution maps are better than most guides, but still a little ambiguous -you simply can't accurately map every bird within a 3 x 1 inch space. 10 pages devoted to gulls before you get to the actual species accounts is wonderfully generic, a whole page of flying larks: three pages of skuas in flight and one page of wren races are my favourites so far. A little stingy on the Bean geese though. Just one page? Well, in spite of my minor gribbles, this is a fantastic book for amateur and experienced birders alike and even though I have been birding for almost 50 years, I'm glad I bought it as, like most birders, I'm sure that I will learn from it. Besides, it's fabulous to look at!
However, I wouldn't like to have this book as my first reference if I were just starting birding today. There is just too much info here that would confuse the novice. This is really not a book for beginners, the simpler RSPB or BTO books are excellent and this book should be one to gravitate within the identification process. However, this book is a landmark in British Bird literature as much as the Collins guide and is I cannot recommend it to every birder highly enough.
Buying Options
Kindle Price: | $35.66 |
includes tax, if applicable |

![Britain's Birds: An Identification Guide to the Birds of Great Britain and Ireland Second Edition, fully revised and updated (WILDGuides Book 41) by [Rob Hume, Robert Still, Andy Swash, Hugh Harrop, David Tipling]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41rY6emh+UL._SY346_.jpg)
Follow the Authors
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
OK
Britain's Birds: An Identification Guide to the Birds of Great Britain and Ireland Second Edition, fully revised and updated (WILDGuides Book 41) [Print Replica] Kindle Edition
by
Rob Hume
(Author),
Robert Still
(Author),
Andy Swash
(Author),
Hugh Harrop
(Author),
David Tipling
(Author)
&
2
more
Format: Kindle Edition
Rob Hume
(Author)
Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
See search results for this author
|
Hugh Harrop
(Author)
Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
See search results for this author
|
Language: English | Format: Print Replica |
-
Kindle Fire Tablets
- Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download
Save on selected Bestselling Children's books.
Includes Bluey, Peter Rabbit, Spot, Peppa Pig, Roald Dahl and more. Click to explore.
Customers who bought this item also bought
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
- Where to Watch Birds in BritainKindle Edition
- RSPB Pocket Guide to British Birds: Second editionKindle Edition
- The Laws Guide to Drawing BirdsKindle Edition
- British Birds: A Pocket Guide (WILDGuides of Britain & Europe)Kindle Edition
- A Season on the Wind: Inside the World of Spring MigrationKindle Edition
- Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America, Second Edition (Peterson Field Guides)Kindle Edition
Product description
Review
Praise for the previous edition:
"The full impact of this book comes from its photographs and this guide is head and shoulders above any other photo guide I have seen. . . . [W]ithout doubt the best photo guide on the market." - Andy Stoddart, Rare Bird Alert
"Unrivalled coverage of British birds. It's an absolute must." - Matt Merritt, Birdwatching Magazine
About the Author
Rob Hume is a freelance writer, editor and artist, with more than thirty books on birds to his name. Robert Still is publishing director of WILDGuides and a prolific natural history author. Andy Swash is managing director of WILDGuides and a well-known wildlife photographer and author. Hugh Harrop is an award-winning photographer and the owner of the ecotourism business Shetland Wildlife. David Tipling is one of the world's most widely published wildlife photographers and the author or commissioned photographer of many books. The five are also coauthors of British Birds: A Pocket Guide (Princeton WILDGuides).
--This text refers to the paperback edition.
Product details
- ASIN : B08B48CSG1
- Publisher : Princeton University Press; 2 edition (14 July 2020)
- Language : English
- File size : 215238 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Not enabled
- Enhanced typesetting : Not Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Not Enabled
- Print length : 576 pages
-
Best Sellers Rank:
747,384 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- 70 in Birdwatching Holidays
- 90 in Outdoor & Nature Reference
- 101 in Irish Travel
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
4.9 out of 5 stars
4.9 out of 5
257 global ratings
How are ratings calculated?
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Top reviews from other countries

signet
5.0 out of 5 stars
Yet ANOTHER book on British birds...?
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 June 2020Verified Purchase
13 people found this helpful
Report abuse

Phil Webster
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent if you want a bird ID guide with photos
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 June 2020Verified Purchase
As I previously said of the first edition, if you want a bird identification guide which uses photographs rather than paintings, then I would certainly recommend this excellent and beautiful book, now in an updated second edition. The new edition has also corrected some out-of-date population statistics that were included in the first edition. (Out-of-date even at that time.)
Personally, I prefer a book with paintings, because the artist can create what has been called 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.
A new edition of the RSPB Handbook is at long last coming out in January 2021, and I can’t wait to get that. If you can afford to, I’d recommend buying both of these books.
Personally, I prefer a book with paintings, because the artist can create what has been called 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.
A new edition of the RSPB Handbook is at long last coming out in January 2021, and I can’t wait to get that. If you can afford to, I’d recommend buying both of these books.
7 people found this helpful
Report abuse

Bluecashmere.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Magnificent Guide.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 January 2021Verified Purchase
This is a really wonderful reference book. It is detailed, lively and painstakingly researched. On the whole the photographs are impressive, capturing a wide range of viewpoints, even though they are at times a little limited by the book's compact size. Perhaps only Collins rival this splendid compendium. It may not be the ideal introduction to ornithology, but for the established observer it is a rare treat, a must for the bookshelf and a joy to mull over, as well as to consult for information unknown or forgotten.
3 people found this helpful
Report abuse

Bruno
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 June 2020Verified Purchase
Had to wait quite a while for the new edition of this book to come out, but it has certainly been worth it. I can't recommend this book too highly. The quality of the images, the overall presentation of the book and ease of use make this the No 1 Bird book in my opinion for the UK. Very satisfied with this purchase
3 people found this helpful
Report abuse

Robert Plant
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding Book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 July 2020Verified Purchase
Whether you are a keen ornithologist like me or just starting to become interested in the birdlife around you this is a must-have book for your library. Many photo guides have been produced through the years but this one eclipses them all. It's multiple photo's of each species in their various plumages plus a simple description make it stand out from the crowd by a country mile! For a book of such quality and size, the price is incredibly low.
Do not miss adding this to your wildlife collection!
Do not miss adding this to your wildlife collection!
One person found this helpful
Report abuse