Collins Complete Guide to British Birds

Here we have yet another contribution to the groaning bookcase of Collins’ guides to birds. This one differs from most, though, in restricting its coverage to the British Isles and in being illustrated with photographs. The restricted coverage makes it ideal for beginners to use without the worry of confusion with an array of unlikely species from other parts of Europe.

The book begins with informative sections on habitats, bird topography and so on, before launching into the species accounts. As this is a photographic guide there are limitations on how many reasonably sized images can fit on each plate, which is helpful from the text point of view, as with only two or three species per spread the text on the facing page can be more comprehensive. Indeed, the texts are excellent. One particularly useful component of the texts is ‘Observation Tips’ – hints on finding that particular species in the field. For Sabine’s Gull, for example, it suggests late summer pelagic boat trips from Cornwall>

The photos are, in the main, very good, although the printing is a little dark at times. However, a good range of plumages is shown. The book cover does claim “every different variation illustrated” but this is not quite so. Indeed, some of the selections are mystifying. For example, there are two photographs of male Dartford Warbler when there must be plenty of shots of females and juveniles about, and there are three photos of Tree Sparrow which all basically look the same. It would have been more useful to have had a first-winter Mediterranean Gull rather than two adults, and the shots of first-winter Ring-billed Gull and flying Yellow-legged Gull are virtually unidentifiable, although good shots of both certainly exist.

The super shot of a Canada Goose is a bit misleading as it is clearly one of the small, short-necked forms (probably Richardson’s), now usually split from Canada Goose. Incidentally, the bird depicted as Snow Goose is actually a Ross’s Goose!

These quibbles should not detract too much from what is in the main a very good and useful guide, and good value for money too.

First published in Birdwatch 157: 49 (July 2005). For a wide range of birding books, some at excellent discount prices, please take a look at the Birdwatch Bookshop.

Tech spec

• Collins Complete British Birds by Paul Sterry (HarperCollins, London, 2004).
• 288 pages, many colour photographs.
• ISBN 000717229X. Pbk, £14.99.