Secret Lives of British Birds (RSPB)

Following in the footsteps of the bestselling Secret Lives of Garden Birds, this trip around Britain’s principal habitats looks beyond the confines of our gardens and parks to expose the extraordinary hidden world of some our most familiar birds. We learn the secrets of romance from Mute Swans, meet the perfect father in the Guillemot, the estranged couple (of Chiffchaffs) who share the same territory, and enter the bizarre, high-rise society of the Dotterel in which women rule. We also meet the ultimate killers, both by day (Peregrine) and by night (Barn Owl), and encounter the only true living monster in Scotland. At the same time, we find out how all these birds cope with living in seemingly inhospitable habitats such as muddy estuaries, lonely moorland or open ocean.

Published
29 September 2006

Publisher
Christopher Helm Publishers Ltd

ISBN
9780713675139

How to buy

Currently in print and available at all good book shops. If you wish to order online:

Amazon
The Book Depository
Waterstones
WH Smith

“Dominic Couzens is an acclaimed writer and bird tour leader, whose popular monthly columns in BBC Wildlife and Birdwatching magazines have brought a fresh and dynamic approach to writing about birds and birdwatching. His previous publications include Identifying Birds by Behaviour and Secret Lives of Garden Birds. Peter Partington’s painting is widely admired for the uniquely vibrant and fluid style in which he captures the essence of bird behaviour. His previous publications include Learn to Draw Birds and Secret Lives of Garden Birds. ‘Whether it’s the duplicitous love-life of certain male Pied Flycatchers or the fragile pair-bonding of Dottorel, plenty of sexy secrets are revealed.’ ”

Birds Illustrated, Spring 2007