Owls of Europe: Biology, Identification and Conservation

• Owls of Europe: Biology, Identification and Conservation by Wolfgang Scherzinger and Theodor Mebs (Bloomsbury, 2024).
• 416 pages, more than 300 photos and illustrations.
• ISBN: 9781399410793. Hbk, £60.
• Buy at BirdGuides bookshop from £55

Owls are among the most popular of all birds. Europe is lucky to boast 14 species, many of which are among the most celebrated in the world – Great Grey and Snowy Owls and Northern Hawk-Owl, for example. Owls of Europe by Heimo Mikkola, published in 1983, was a seminal work and is one of the finest titles that graces my bookshelf, so I was intrigued to see how this latest (unrelated) Owls of Europe stacked up.

The early sections of the book introduce owls as a family, touching on their features, shared characteristics, various adaptations, behaviour, biology and conservation. These pages are nicely laid out, with a welcome mix of copy, tables and charts and imagery. Some of the tables, such as the pellet comparison one on page 46, are especially interesting, while the habitat preference chart on page 94 has a nice visual element to it.

The book then delves into the different species of European owl, all of which have their own chapter (bar Cyprus Scops Owl, a recent split which is acknowledged as such). These species accounts are rich in information and illustrated wonderfully with a range of photos and sketches. For each species, up-to-date European distribution maps and the latest country-by-country population estimates are included, along with information on vocalisations, behaviour, breeding biology, life strategies, hunting, prey and habitat requirements. I'm a big fan of data visualisation and Owls of Europe excels in this – the breakdown of Eurasian Eagle-Owl prey and the Tengmalm's Owl nest-hole graph are particularly eye-catching.

Indeed, this title shines aesthetically. The images are varied and well chosen, and the authors have clearly worked hard to collate photos that ensure all different plumages and behaviours are well represented for each species, as well as welcome habitat shots. The illustrations (the majority of which were done by Dr Winfried Daunicht) are wonderful, too, with the Tengmalm's Owl facial expressions and Barn Owl capture sequence standing out.

Interestingly, each species account ends with a key questions section, in which the authors pose the most pressing unknowns about each owl. This is not something typical of a factual tome like this, but I found it fascinating. Ultimately, there is still much for us to learn.

Owls of Europe ends with a determining characteristics chart. It is a fittingly succinct and clear ending to a title I was left overly impressed with. With this publication, authors Wolfgang Scherzinger and Theodor Mebs have taken Mikkola's owl-authority baton and ran with it.