The Hidden Life of Garden Birds: The unseen drama behind everyday survival

by Dominic Couzens

A glimpse into the secret lives of over 50 garden birds, with beautiful illustrations and intriguing facts

Did you know that woodpeckers are capable of learning simple codes? Hooded crows can form connections with humans? A jay's call affects the behaviour of surrounding squirrels?

All these fascinating bird activities and more are revealed in The Hidden Life of Garden Birds. Unusual feeding behaviour is just the tip of the iceberg. From territorial conflict and strange relationships with man, to breeding and nesting oddities, this book exposes all the drama behind garden birds' everyday survival - making it the perfect gift for birdwatchers.

The Hidden Life of Garden Birds will enlighten you to the secret going-ons of the common creatures you can spot from the comfort of your back doorstep.

Genres: Nature, Nonfiction, Birds

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 18, 2024

About the author

Dominic Couzens is an expert bird guide and author. He has published numerous books and articles on natural history, including for BBC Wildlife and Bird Watching, specialising in birds and mammals. His books include Extreme Birds, Atlas of Rare Birds, The Secret Lives of Garden Birds, and Top 100 Birding Sites of the World.

He travels widely for writing and speaking, and his website is www.birdwords.co.uk.

Reviews

[Jessica Howarth]

Really good read. I use the Merlin app on my phone and see the birds that are in my local neighbourhood then refer to this book. It is so interesting to know what their likely interactions are when they are twittering away.

[Emma White]

Very informative. Interesting to know what birds habits are, and definitely a lot of little facts in the book I didn’t know! Will definitely be using this book as a reference.

[Sarah Foxley]

This wasn't written in a style I enjoy. However there was some interesting information and the short sections made it easier to dip in and out of

[Clare O'Beara]

This is a nice look at the characteristics of many common and uncommon garden birds, and the best part is that another page on the behaviours of the species is added. For instance, rooks being able to manipulate tools, some birds sneakily employing intra-specific parasitism by placing an egg in another couple's nest, and other birds having two different kind of migration patterns.
A good description of each bird is given, but you know, nothing beats a colour photo or drawing, and the drawings are black and white. I understand colour photos would cost more to print. Either Google or the bird apps will help, Birds of Ireland Field Guide is an excellent app that does not require you to then be online in the outdoors.
Mention that blackcaps now migrate from Germany over winter, but head in two directions, west to the British Isles and south to southern Europe or Africa. And the author doesn't know why, except to speculate that British gardens are now better homes. See: The Birds At My Table by Darryl Jones. This explains the economics and advantages to birds of the birdseed trade. There was none when I was a child, except for budgies. Also, if there are two populations and one is severely harmed by a winter storm or snow, the other population will survive. This is an obvious advantage.
Mention that "it has recently been found" that swifts, which live on the wing after leaving the nest, shut down half of the brain to sleep while the other controls flight, and switches over to rest the other half. This was known by the 1980s as I remember telling someone about it. 45 years ago is recent?
I don't know why woodpeckers are included but not redpolls, which travel as a pair in with a flock of house sparrows.
Sadly, some of the species are now rare, such as turtle doves. I used to see far more variety of birds in the garden as a child than I do now.
I read a library hardback. This is an unbiased review.

[Lee Petersen]

A fascinating and beautifully written look at the hidden lives of our most familiar garden birds. I thought I knew these everyday visitors well, but this book is packed with surprising facts and unseen dramas that completely changed how I watch them. Informative without being dry, and deeply engaging throughout. I’ll be returning to this as a reference for years to come.

[Mark Turnbull]

Unfortunately lots of printing errors, such as where the wrong bird is named or pictured, gives you a little less confidence in the facts on offer. Still, the majority of the book is accurate and fascinating with an even balance of plain facts and slightly more colourful descriptions.

[Susan Peak]

Disappointing. Contains only black and white pictures of the birds, the writing quality is uneven, a few odd omissions, eg, no section on ravens despite covering other corvids

[Roger Morgan-Grenville]

Useful info. Bit dry on audiobook.