Books for my Rucksack
“Collins Bird Guide – the most complete guide to birds of Britain and Europe” Lars Svensson (Author), Killian Mullarney (Illustrator), Dan Zetterström (Illustrator) …. We’ve been through a number of field guides over the years, but this is currently the one we find the most comprehensive, and clear in text and illustrations.
“Aves de Portugal” Helder Costa, Eduardo de Juana, Juan Varela, a SPEA publication; https://www.lynxeds.com/product/aves-de-portugal/ … great for helping us learn the Portuguese names of birds, but also very helpful on local distribution of species etc. An excellent little book.
Key Reference Books at Home
“The Birds of the Western Palearctic – Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa: The Birds of the Western Palearctic” (1977 to 1994) I have the 7 volume edition in UK and the 2 volume Concise Edition in Portugal. The concise edition is easier to manage and skim read sections. The full editions are at times rather dense for skim reading! Both are the real “go-to” books, listing the myriads of research findings on the 700 plus species that it covers.
The Macmillian “Birder’s Guide to European and Middle Eastern Birds” 1996 Alan Harris, Hadoram Shirihai and David Christie. Is not a comprehensive field guide, but deals with groups and species that can be confused. It is a book for the dedicated!
“The Buzzard” 1974, Colin Tubbs, published: David and Charles; and “The Life of Buzzards” 2015, Peter Dare, Whittlers Publishing. Two classics, and books for the aficionado of the Buzzard.
“The Nuthatches” 1998 Erik Matthysen, likewise, for the aficionado of the Nuthatch, summarising a lifetime of research on this species – fascinating!
“Devil Birds – The Life of the Swift” 1980, Derek Bromhall. I first read this many years ago. It was was a real “eye opener” to the extraordinary life and behaviour of the Common Swift, and I often quotes facts from it. It is beautifully illustrated, and focusses on the ground breaking Oxford swift studies.
In 2023 “Swifts and Us – The Life of the Bird That Sleeps in the Sky“, 2021, Sarah Gibson received excellent reviews in the birding press, and I certainly enjoyed reading it. I also found a great reference for what to expect when trying to attract swifts to nest. In addition to facts about birds, it is an inspiring book because it also features pioneers in swift conservation from around the world.
Favourite Reads
“Portrait of a Wilderness: the Story of the Coto Doñana Expeditions ” 1958, Guy Mountfort, an exquisitely written description of the three birding expeditions to the then privately owned wilderness area the Coto Doñana in Spain. A vision of what once was, but with the view of a rapidly changing world, with all its implications for wildlife.