ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIRDS OF BRITAIN, EUROPE

A comprehensive visual guide and identifier to over 550 Birds with individual colour illustrations and photographs in what is now regarded as a classic reference for all bird enthusiasts. From the tiny malachite sunbird to the enormous ostrich, from the grace of a mute swan to the striking casque of an African crowned hornbill, from the bright colours of a Vasa parrot to the stealthy camouflage of a tawny owl, each bird has the power to enthral. An expert and accessible introduction explains how birds evolved, with artists' impressions of their winged ancestors the pterosaurs. It examines special anatomy of birds, their keen senses and how they have adapted to life in the air. Read how factors such as mating rituals, nest protection, rearing chicks, group living, hunting, feeding and migration are necessary to the survival of various species. The guide features practical tips on fieldcraft and colourful depictions of birds found in distinct types of habitat. While African savanna may seem remote from the forest of northern Europe, many birds will endure perilous migrations between the two continents as part of their life cycle. This superb guide presents some of the rare and familiar species of these lands, the many sizes, shapes and they are grouped logically by type and habitat including oceanic, estuarine, freshwater, woodland, open country and urban species. Here are waxbills and mannikins, falcons, game birds and songsters, adaptable insect hunters, parrots of the forest, flycatchers, divers, sea ducks, starlings and bullfinches, sunbirds and eagles. This new edition has 256 pages, 17.3 x 23cm, glossy white pages with many beautiful colour illustrations on every page, distribution maps including size, habitat, nest, eggs and food text boxes for each entry. 535 colour illus.