http://www.birdguides.com/birdwatch Birdwatch•October 2017 59
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THIS little book has the laudable
aim of presenting the facts and
gures – as well as thoughts and
musings – about birds in a
simple, accessible and popular
fashion for those who are
interested in birds and like
watching them, but know littlepage spread, with a large high-
quality photograph, a panel of
text, range map and additional
data on distribution, habitat,
size and status. The information
included in the text, although
generally rather short, is both
interesting and up to date with
regard to the conservation status
and threats posed.
It is a great shame that the
remaining 20 species were not
illustrated with photographs. A
quick online search revealed
that photos of 18 of these
are available, and one, Asian
Barred Owlet, is a common and
easily photographed species.
Of the other two, I could nd no
photos of Sandy Scops Owl, and
Laughing Owl is almost certainly
extinct.
The birds in the photographs
have been ‘cut out’ and shown
on a white background. Although
this is a striking technique, it
does occasionally look a bit
ragged around the outline of the
birds. Of the eight species given
double-page spreads, some of
the ight photos are really eye
catching. Particularly stunning
is a photo of Great Grey Owl
which really leaps out of the
page at you; I would not fancy
being a vole and seeing that face
approaching.
A fascinating feature at the
end of the book is a large, four-
page-long fold-out that shows
pen-and ink-drawings of fourabout them.
It includes a wide range of
material, with many old quotes,
poems and short discussions.
Some facts are tabulated, and
there is a scattering of mostly
old line drawings – these are
uncredited, but many are by
Roland Green, and deserve better
reproduction.
It is a pity that a book that
should promote an interest in
birds uses phrases that the
average birder hates: the old
‘ ocking together’ and ‘in a
ap’ stuff, as well as somewhat
cynical de nitions of terms such
as seawatching, gripping off and
so on that reinforce the ‘us and
them’ view of birders.
The author says he knew
nothing about birds when he
started and gives an impression
throughout that he remains aMORE INFO
■ Owls: a Guide to Every Species by Marianne Taylor (Ivy Press, Brighton, 2017).
■ 256 pages, colour photos, colour and black-and-white illustrations, colour
distribution maps.
■ ISBN 9781782404040. Hbk, £25.MORE INFO
■ The Curious Bird Lover’s Handbook by Niall Edworthy (Black Swan, London,
2017).
■ 224 pages, some line illustrations.
■ ISBN 9781784162719. Pbk, £8.99.by Marianne Taylor (Ivy Press, Brighton, 2017).Bookshop
from
£21.99The world’s owls fully covered
An old-fashioned look at birds
species’ wings to scale. None
of the owl books have tried this
before. It really works and gives
a true impression of scale,
particularly that of Great Grey
Owl.little bit disparaging of those who
do, but he also quotes material
that recommends such things as
camou age clothing that helps
maintain a poor image of what
birders are about.
The facts and gures are pretty
reliable, but sometimes seem a
touch outdated, and panels giving
tips on watching birds may be
lifted from old books, saying, for
example, that good binoculars (7x
and 8x are recommended) can be
found for under £30 (under £50
in another reference), which is a
touch optimistic.
There is no mentionAll in all, this is an enjoyable
book, and if you are looking for a
Christmas present this year for
any lover of owls, I am sure this
would be a well-appreciated gift.
Neil Bowmanwhatsoever of digital photography,
nor notebooks and record
keeping; discussion of migration
doesn’t include any reference
to modern satellite-tracking
studies or even ringing, and even
recommended garden bird food
seems to come from an earlier
period; there is no mention of
nyger seed, for instance.
While this book might help
promote an interest in birds and
conservation, I can’t help feeling
it will not be a great seller without
a modern design, a bit of colour
and a more up-to-date approach.
Rob HumeThe world’s owls fully coveredThe world’s owls fully covered
EXPERT REVIEWS APPS • BOOKS
AS with so many others, I have
long been fascinated by owls.
Unlike the great majority of birds,
owls are essentially species of
the night, and hence less often
seen. Their forward-facing eyes
give them what we perceive as
human characteristics. Probably
no other group of birds has been
so fundamentally misunderstood
or so much the subject of
superstition and fancy.
This fascination with owls has
resulted in a seemingly never-
ending demand for all things owl
related, and books are certainly
no exception. I’m sure that I am
not unique in that owl books far
outnumber those of any other bird
family on my bookshelves.
This latest addition to the
owl library is a large and sturdy
coffee-table book that covers all
of the world’s 225 owl species.
All but 20 of these are given
either a full page or a double-1710 59-60 Expert reviews - books v3.indd 59 14/09/2017 14:05:35