BIRD BOOKS - EUROPE & THE MIDDLE EAST

Mark Cocker & Richard Mabey. Birds Britannica. 528 pages. Chatto & Windus 2005. US | UK | DE | FR | CA

Andrew Brown & Phil Grice. Birds in England. Poyser.

Andrew Brown & Phil Grice. Birds in England. 600 pages. Poyser 2005. US | UK | DE | FR | CA

Adrian Pitches & Tim Cleeves. Birds New to Britain 1980-2004. 300 pages. Helm 2005. UK | DE | FR | CA

Mike Pennington, Paul Harvey, Kevin Osborn, Roger Riddington, Pete Ellis, Martin Heubeck & Dave Okill. The Birds of Shetland. 592 pages. Christopher Helm, 2004. UK

LARGE PAPER EDITION of the Collins Bird Guide. Killian Mullarney, Lars Svensson, Dan Zetterström & Peter J. Grant. HarperCollins (2000) & Princeton University Press (2002). Expanded text and larger colour illustrations. I consider this to be the world's finest single-volume bird book and the field guide version to be the world's finest field guide. Magnificent color plates. Space well utilized to provide essential identification details. US | UK

Regular (field) edition of the Collins Bird Guide. HarperCollins & Princeton University Press, 1999. [Online index] This may be the finest field guide yet published for any part of the world. The work of both artists, Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterström, is equally impressive, and great care has been taken to present a vast amount of material in a compact field guide. US | UK

Hadoram Shirihai & Lars Svensson. The Photographic Handbook to the Western Palearctic Birds. Missing photos. 1,000+ pages. 3,000+ photos. Covers the whole Arabian Peninsula and Iran as well as the traditional Western Palearctic. Alula Press. Forthcoming.

Important Bird Areas in Europe: Priority Sites for Conservation. BirdLife Conservation Series No. 8. Melanie F. Heath, Michael I. Evans, D.G. Hoccum, A.J. Payne & N.B. Peet. 2 volumes. 1600 pages. Descriptions of more than 3,600 sites. 2001. [2-volume set (UK)<][Volume 1 only (UK)] [Volume 2 only (UK)]

Melanie F. Heath, Carolien Borrgreve & Nicholas Peet (eds.). European Bird Populations: Estimates & Trends. BirdLife Conservation Series No. 10. Population data on 515 species. Line drawings. 160 pages. April 2001. UK

David W. Snow & Christopher M. Perrins (eds.) The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise Edition. 2 vols. I: 1084 pages; II: 748 pages. Oxford University Press 1997. Now available for the price of one volume of the 9-volume first edition. US | DE | FR | CA

BWPi - Birds of the Western Palearctic interactive, a cross-platform DVD version containing the songs of about 600 species, is available from BirdGuides. Details.

Eric Dempsey. Illustrated by Michael O'Cleary. The Complete Guide to Ireland's Birds. 262 pages. Details. Gill & Macmillan 2002. US | UK

Peter Robinson. Birds of the Isles of Scilly. 500 pages. Helm 2003. UK

Robin Hull. Scottish Birds: Culture and tradition. 314 pages. Mercat Press 2001. UK

Philip Palmer. Birds New to Britain and Ireland: 1600-1999. Illustrations by Dan Powell. Details of every "first." 320 pages. Arlequin, 2000. UK

Ward J.M. Hagemeijer & Michael Blair (eds.) The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds: Their Distribution & Abundance. Published by the European Bird Census Council. 920 pages. Poyser 1997. US | UK

R. F. Porter, P. Schiermacker-Hansen & S. Christensen. Birds of the Middle East. Illustrated by A. Birch, J. Gale, M. Langman & B. Small. 350 pages. Poyser 1996. US | UK

Hadoram Shirihai. Ehud Dovrat & David A. Christie (eds.) The Birds of the Israel: A complete avaifauna & bird atlas of Israel. 876 pages. More than 400 color photos. Poyser and Princeton University Press 1996. US | UK

Steven M. Goodman & Peter L. Meininger. Illustrated by Sherif M. Baha el Din & Edward Khounganian. The Birds of Egypt. 572 pages. Oxford University Press, 1989. US | UK

Martin S. Adamian & Daniel Klem, Jr. A Field Guide to the Birds of Armenia. 220 pages. American University of Armenia, 1997. Illustrated by N. Arlott, H. Burn, C. Byers, J. Cox, J. Davis, J. Dale, R. Gillmor, M. Hallam, I. Lewington, D. Nurney, C. Rose, J. Wilczur. US

Martin S. Adamian & Daniel Klem, Jr. Handbook of the Birds of Armenia. 656 pages. American University of Armenia, 1999. Proceeds will be donated to the conservation & environmental management programs of the American University of Armenia. US

Gerard Gorman. The Birds of Hungary. 192 pages. Christopher Helm. 1996. US | UK

George Handrinos, T. Akriotis. The Birds of Greece. Christopher Helm. 1997. 384 pages. US | UK

Josef Kren. Birds of the Czech Republic. Christopher Helm. December 2000. US | UK

Chris Mead, Kevin Baker (illustrator). The State of the Nation's Birds. Up-to-date information on the breeding birds of Britain. 285 pages. Whittet Books. 2000. UK

Roy Brown, John Ferguson, Michael Lawrence & David Lees. Tracks and Signs of the Birds of Britain and Europe. 328 pages. Helm 2003. UK

Arnoud B. Van Den Berg & Cecilia A.W. Bosman. Rare Birds of the Netherlands. 1999. 397 pages. Over 300 colour photographs. Pica Press. US

Field Guide to the Birds of the Atlantic Islands: Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cape Verde (Helm Field Guides S.)

Tony Clarke. Birds of the Atlantic Islands: Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cape Verde. 320 pages, 48 colour plates by Chris Orgill & Tony Disley. Helm 2006. US | UK | DE | FR | CA

Cees S. Roselaar. Songbirds of Turkey. Pica Press, 1995. UK

Moss Taylor, Michael Seago, Peter Allard and Don Dorling. The Birds of Norfolk. 552 pages. 32 pages of colour photographs. Pica Press, 2000. UK

Steve Piotrowski. The Birds of Suffolk. 500 pages. Helm 2003. US | UK

William S. Clark, N. John Schmidt (illustrator). A Field Guide to the Raptors of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. 396 pages. 48 colour plates. Oxford U. Press, 1999. US | UK

Philip Burton, Dick Forsman, Ian Lewington (Illustrator). Birds of Prey in Britain & Europe. 288 pages. Christopher Helm, 2002. UK

Rob Hume, David Quinn. Gulls of Britain and Europe. 320 pages, "Illustrates and describes every major plumage." HarperCollins 2001. UK

Anders Blomdahl, Bertil Breife & Niklas Holmstrom. Flight Identification of European Seabirds. Details. 374 pages. Over 690 colour photographs. Helm. 2003. UK

Klaus Malling Olsen & Hans Larsson (illustrator). Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. Helm & Princeton University Press. 2003. US | UK

Dick Forsman, The Raptors of Europe and the Middle East. Poyser 1998. US | UK

Hadoram Shirihai, Gabriel Gargallo & Andreas Helbig. Illustrated by Alan Harris. Photos by David Cottridge. Edited by Guy Kirwan & Lars Svensson. Sylvia Warblers. WorldTwitch 2001 Best Bird Book Award. Christopher Helm & Princeton U. Press. 2001. 572 pages. 20 color plates. 546 color photographs. US | UK

Erik Matthysen. The Nuthatches. Poyser 1998. US | UK

Pipits and Wagtails of Europe, Asia and North America

Per Alström & Krister Mild. Illustrated by Per Alström & Bill Zetterström. Pipits and Wagtails of Europe, Asia & North America. 496 pages, 30 superb color plates, 240 color photographs, 298 sonograms, 36 maps, 89 text figures. One of the best of the bird families books. Includes color illustrations and photographs of the newly-described Mekong Wagtail. Christopher Helm & Princeton University Press. 2003. US | UK

Per Alström, Krister Mild & Bill Zetterström. Larks of Europe, Asia & North America: identification and systematics. Christopher Helm. Forthcoming.

Simon Harrap & Nigel Redman. Where to Watch Birds in Britain. 592 pages. Helm & Yale University Press. 2nd edition, 2003. US | UK

Nigel Wheatley. Where to Watch Birds in EUROPE & RUSSIA (paperback) US | UK

Ernest Garcia. Where to Watch Birds: Southern and Western Spain. Covers Andalucia, Extremadura & Gibraltar. A & C Black. 2d edition. May 2001. US | UK

Malcolm Palmer & John Busby (illustrator). Birdwatching Guide to Eastern Spain. 120 pages. Arlequin Press 2001. UK

Michael Rebane, Stephen Message (illustrator). Where to Watch Birds in North and East Spain. Christopher Helm. 1999. 295 pages. US | UK

Clive Finlayson & Mike Langman. Birdwatcher's Guide to Southern Spain & Gibralter. 89 pages. Prion, 1993. US | UK

Colin Richardson & Simon Aspinall. Shell Birdwatching Guide to the United Arab Emirates. Hobby Publications. 1998. UK

Ian Green & Nigel Moorhouse. Birdwatcher's Guide to Turkey. 122 pages. Paperback. Prion, 1995. US | UK

Gerard Gorman. Where to Watch Birds in Eastern Europe. 1997. 214 pages. Stackpole Books. Covers Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania & Bulgaria. US | UK

James Roberts. Romania: a Birdwatching and Wildlife Guide. Burton Expeditions. 2000. US | UK

Hilary Welch, Laurence Rose, Derek Moore. Where to Watch Birds in Turkey, Greece & Cyprus. 1997. 216 pages. Stackpole Books. US | UK

Marco Sacchi, Peter Ruegg, Jacques Laesser. Where to Watch Birds in Switzerland. Christopher Helm. 1999. 192 pages. US | UK

Arnoud B. Van Den Berg & Dominique Lafontaine. Where to Watch Birds in Holland, Belgium & Northern France. 1996. 224 pages. Stackpole Books. US | UK

Philippe Dubois. Where to Watch Birds in France. Christopher Helm. 2d edition 2004. 400 pages. UK | DE | FR

Jacquie Crozier. Birdwatching Guide to France: South of the Loire including Corsica. Arlequin. 2000. US | UK

Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli. Where to Watch in Italy. Christopher Helm. 1994. 224 pages. US | UK

Richard Brooks. Birding on the Greek Island of Lesvos. Revised edition, 1998. 248 pages. US | UK

Gustaf Aulen. Where to Watch Birds in Scandinavia. 1997. 216 pages. Stackpole Books. US | UK

Dominic Mitchell, Jan Wilczur (illustrator). Where to Watch Birds in the London area. Christopher Helm. 1997. 240 pages. US | UK

Brian Clews & Paul Trodd. Where to Watch Birds: Thames Valley & The Chilterns. Christopher Helm 2002. 368 pages. US | UK
2d edition 2007? UK | DE | FR | CA

Dave Saunders. Where to Watch Birds in Wales. 281 pages. Christopher Helm. 3d edition, 2000. US | UK

Mike Madders. Where to Watch Birds in Scotland. Christopher Helm. 4th edition 2002. 368 pages. UK

Hugh R. Harrop. Where to Watch Birds in Shetland. 2nd edition, 2000. More than 70 sites covered. UK

Mike Madders & Julia Westead. Where to Watch Birds in Ireland. Christopher Helm. 1997. 272 pages. US | UK

David Norman & Vic Tucker. Where to Watch Birds in Devon & Cornwall. 365 pages. Helm. 4th edition 2001. US | UK

George Green, Martin Cade. Where to Watch Birds in Dorset, Hampshire & the Isle of Wight. Christopher Helm. 3d edition 2001. 308 pages. US | UK

John Mather. Where to Watch Birds in Yorkshire (including the former North Humberside). Christopher Helm. 2d edition 1998. 331 pages. US | UK

Brian Clews, Andrew Heryet, Paul Trodd. Where to Watch Birds in Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire & Oxfordshire. Christopher Helm. 2d edition, 1997. 315 pages. US | UK

Don Taylor, Jeffrey Wheatley & Paul James. Where to Watch Birds in Kent, Surrey & Sussex. Christopher Helm. 4th edition, 2003. 304 pages. US | UK

Don Taylor & Bill Oddie. Birding in Kent. Pica Press, 1996. UK

Graham Harrison, John Sankey. Where to Watch Birds in Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and the Former West Midlands Counties. Christopher Helm. 2d edition, 1997. 308 pages. US | UK

Graham Catley. Where to Watch Birds in the East Midlands. Christopher Helm. 1996. 287 pages. US | UK

Peter & Margaret Clarke. Where to Watch Birds in East Anglia. Christopher Helm. 4th edition 2002. 270 pages. US | UK

Neil Glenn. Best Birdwatching Sites in Norfolk. Buckingham Press, buck.press [at] btinternet.com. 2002. Review by Dave Gosney. US | UK

Adrian Thomas & Peter Francis. Best Birdwatching Sites in Sussex. Buckingham Press 2003. 192 pages. UK

Phil Benstead, Steve Rowland and Richard Thomas. Norfolk: A Birdwatcher's Site Guide. Shoebill Press, 2001. Details and updates. US | UK

Dave Britton & John Day. Where to Watch Birds in Northeast England. Christopher Helm. Second edition forthcoming 2004. 400 pages. US | UK

Ken Hall, John Govett. Where to Watch Birds in Somerset, Avon & Gloucestershire. Christopher Helm. 2d edition, 1995. 278 pages. US | UK

Jonathan Guest, Malcolm Hutchinson. Where to Watch Birds in Cumbria, Lancashire & Cheshire. Christopher Helm. 3rd edition 2007? US | UK | DE | FR | CA

Tristan Lafranchis. Butterflies of Europe. 352 pages. More than 1300 color photographs of living butterflies with Peterson pointers. More than 400 range maps. From the promotional brochure, this appears to the best book to date for identifying European butterflies. Diatheo 2004. UK | FR | JP

Tom Tolman and Richard Lewington. Collins Field Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Europe. This rather mediocre guide illustrated by paintings is the best in print as of 2003, although the prior Collins guide by Higgins & Riley may actually be more useful in the field. 320 pages. 104 color plates. HarperCollins 1997 and Princeton University Press 2001. US | UK - Collins | UK - PUP

Richard Lewington. Pocket Guide to the Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. 144 pages. "All the resident and migrant butterflies illustrated in colour, including all stages of life cycle." British Wildlife Publishing 2003. UK

Tom Tolman. Photographic Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Europe. 320 pages. Includes the Canaries, Azores, Madeira and al the Aegean Islands. Oxford University Press. 2001. While an attractive reference, this book suffers from poor usability and inadequate coverage. Not all species are illustrated; most species that are illustrated need additional and/or better illustrations; and butterfly photos are not grouped together with similar species on plates but are placed with the text for each species. US | UK

Michael Chinery. Butterflies of Britain and Europe. 720 pages. More than 900 field photos. Harpercollins 1998. Another photo guide not up to the standard set by Glassberg's American books. US | UK

Jim Asher, Martin Warren, Richard Fox, Paul Harding, Gail Jeffcoate, Stephen Jeffcoate. Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland. Assessment of the status of each species, with a map and colour photo. Details from Butterfly Conservation. 450 pages. Oxford University Press 2001. US | UK

David J. Carter, Brian Hargreaves (illustrator). Collins Field Guide: Caterpillars of Britain and Europe. 296 pages. Over 500 caterpillars are illustrated. HarperCollins 2001 (1987). US | UK

Jim Porter. Colour Identification Guide to Caterpillars of the Britain Isles. 288 pages. Illustrates more than 850 species. Viking 1997. US | UK

Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland. Paul Waring, Martin Townsend, Richard Lewington (Illustrator).

Paul Waring & Martin Townsend. Illustrated by Richard Lewington. Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland. 432 pages. "All the resident and migrant macro-moths [>880 species] fully described and illustrated with more than 1,600 illustrations." Paintings depict the moths in their normal resting positions, and there are more than 80 color photographs of larvae. The world's finest moth field guide. British Wildlife Publishing 2003. US | UK | DE | FR | CA

Steve Brooks. Illustrated by Richard Lewington. Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland. 160 pages. 280 color artworks and photographs. British Wildlife Publishing, revised edition 2002 (1998). US | UK

Philip's Navigator Britain. 368 pages. 394 x 285 mm. Spiral bound. 1.5 miles to 1 inch. 2003 edition. The best British road atlas. US | UK