RSPB
3 total works
Britain's birds are among the best loved in the world, and also
among the best studied. In recent times, these studies, rather like
tabloid exclusives, have thrown up some surprising revelations and
sullied a few reputations in the process. They have, above all,
demonstrated that many of our birds lead much more complex lives than
we previously thought.
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.
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
among the best studied. In recent times, these studies, rather like
tabloid exclusives, have thrown up some surprising revelations and
sullied a few reputations in the process. They have, above all,
demonstrated that many of our birds lead much more complex lives than
we previously thought.
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.
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
There is no wildlife closer to us than that found in our gardens - or indeed, in our houses - so it follows that many of those creatures we love, such as foxes and ladybirds, are literally household names. However, despite this familiarity, many of the characters reveal surprising lifestyles if you take a closer look, and there is more going on in our precious backyards that we might imagine. Did you know that slugs and snails have spine-tingly good sex; that mosquitoes can dodge raindrops and that Grey Squirrels have regular sleepovers with their neighbours? Did you realise that unemployment causes the breakdown of society in wasps, or that it takes the average spider only one hour to build a web from scratch? Perhaps it would even surprise you to know that, in this day and age, it is still possible to have three Old Ladies stuck in your lavatory? (They are moths.) Written in an engaging style and illustrated with photographs and stunning colour paintings by Peter Partington, this book reveals, month by month, the extraordinary hidden world of our most familiar garden wildlife. You will never look at your garden neighbours in the same way again.
Have you ever wondered what the birds in your garden get up to when they're not tucking into peanuts and seeds on the birdtable? This book takes us, month by month, into the secret lives of our most familiar garden birds, revealing inspiring, intriguing and scandalous real-life dramas such as the ferocious turf battles of Robins, the profound family ties of Long-tailed Tits and the remarkable sex-life of the Dunnock. The amazing facts that it reveals will help you to understand, encourage and enjoy your garden birds more than ever before. Written with engaging humour and enlivened throughout with dazzling colour paintings and photographs, this wonderful book will appeal to anyone who enjoys watching birds in their gardens.