RSPB's best British bird guide (RSPB Handbook of British Birds - Peter Holden)

Member Name: leetemplar

Product:	RSPB Handbook of British Birds - Peter Holden
Date:	31/05/07 (101 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great information, focuses well on British birds, great for beginners

Disadvantages: Some poor drawings

There are many, many bird guides on the market, that range from the brilliant to the downright useless. While the standard text for any serious birdwatchers is the Collins Bird Guide, the crammed information and wide range of European species can be a bit bewildering, especially for newcomers.

Sometimes it's good to have a book that just covers species that are likely to be seen in your own county, and British readers could do a lot worse than this one. It covers all the most common British birds, and a good few rarer ones, in great detail with one species per page, sorted by family and with easy to find sections on identification, habits, habitats, feeding, breeding, conservation and movements. The text is informative, up to date and consistent, and will help clinch your ID by giving you details on exactly when and where you will see a species in the British Isles.

The drawings, on the other hand, are very inconsistent. Although they do show a good range of plumages from various sexes, age groups and times of the year, and some are done very adequately, some of the pictures are far from spectacular, and some species are illustrated very badly.

Saying this, however, the text alone makes it a hive of invaluable information, and it works best perhaps in companion to a more wide-ranging and better illustrated bird guide like Collins. The conservation notes on each bird are also something missing in a lot of guides, and gives a great and valuable insight into the plights of British birds.

I got my copy free when I signed up to the RSPB, and I recommend anyone chooses it as their free gift if they join.

Summary: A good beginner's guide to birds, let down by poor drawings