Bird Guide: The Most Complete Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe

by Lars Svensson, Peter J. Grant, Killian Mullarney (Illustrations)

"Collins Bird Guide" provides all the information needed to identify any species at any time of the year, with detailed text on size, habitat, range, identification and voice. Accompanying every species entry is a distribution map and illustrations showing the species in all the major plumages (male, female, immature, in flight, at rest, feeding).

Genres: Reference, Birds, Nonfiction, Nature, Field Guides, Natural History, Animals

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Lars Åke Svensson (born 1941) is a Swedish ornithologist, who received an honorary degree from the Uppsala University in 2004. He specialises in the identification of passerine birds. In 2008 he published a paper on the poorly known Large-billed Reed-warbler (Acrocephalus orinus) which "dramatically changed ornithological perception of the Large-billed Reed Warbler"

Reviews

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this book really is everything everyone says about it. To say its thorough is a bit of an understatement. Its not for the casual back garden birder but definitely a must for anyone serious. It lists not only all the birds you might expect in the UK but also everything you might get in europe plus all of the accidentals and all of the one off's ever recorded. The illustrations are top notch and show many variants of plumage. Basically every serious birder should have a copy.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this book really is everything everyone says about it. To say its thorough is a bit of an understatement. Its not for the casual back garden birder but definitely a must for anyone serious. It lists not only all the birds you might expect in the UK but also everything you might get in europe plus all of the accidentals and all of the one off's ever recorded. The illustrations are top notch and show many variants of plumage. Basically every serious birder should have a copy.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best field guide to birds that I have yet encountered. It covers all of the species found in Europe more effectively than any field guide covers North American birds. While the focus is on Europe, this guide could be useful for North American birders, especially ones living on the East Coast.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my bible! The best bird book I've ever come across. Great art work and descriptions. I enjoy how some drawings show two similar birds together to illustrate the differences between the two species (gulls, godwits stuff like) in the field.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely, accurate illustrations, with range maps appearing on the adjacent page with the pictures. The text is there too rather than separated from the plates, which likely encouraged the text descriptions to be more concise. Nice to see small illustrations of similar species in their respective preferred habitats. Some of the field mark notes are amusing, such as owl expressions and several instances of an enthusiastic "unmistakable!"

[David Raz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sure I don't need to recommend Fågelguiden to any bird watcher in Israel or anywhere else in Europe. It is the gold standard and rightly so. The new (2020) Hebrew edition is just as good, and includes not only a very adequate Hebrew translation, but also all the adaptations one would expect from a local edition. A must have for every bird watcher.

[Aubrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing field guide! I appreciated the author’s passion for birding that comes through in the descriptions, it’s fun and also detailed & well- researched.

[Marjo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The bible for the European birder.

(If I'm being nitpicky, I could point out that I miss a list of French names. But as I said: nitpicky.)

[Jess Portchmouth · Rating 3 out of 5]

4 books for £1 in Barnardos

[Martin Ďurec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Najlepšia kniha na určovanie vtákov v Európe, na hony vzdialená od druhej najlepšej. Popisuje všetky možné druhy (aj zablúdilcov) vo výbornom detaile a nepoužíva fotky, ale ilustrácie (cez 3000!) - takže lepšie v kreslenom obrázku priemeruje charakteristické črty jednotlivých vtákov. Takisto rozmery knihy a mäkký obal sú vynikajúce - akurát do terénu. Táto kniha vznikala roky a bolo do nej vloženého veľa úsilia ilustrátorov, ornitológov. Pre slovenského čitateľa je jedinou nevýhodou nutnosť čítať v angličine, alebo v českom preklade (Ptáci Evropy, Severní Afriky a Blízkého Východu, Druhé vydání, Ševčík 2016). Do pozornosti takisto odporúčam oficiálnu Android aplikáciu, ktorá je lacnejšia, je 1:1 kópiou knihy a obsahuje prvky navyše, ako sú nahrávky zvukov a možnosť pokročilého vyhľadávania na základe rôznych kritéríi (tvar tela, farba, výskyt,...). Aplikácia je po anglicky, ale obsahuje slovenské názvy vtákov (väčšinu). Táto aplikácia / kniha je pre mňa alfa-omega pri určovaní vtákov na Slovensku.

[TheBirdNerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most definitely the best (and most coveted) European bird guide on the market! Beautiful and detailed illustrations throughout, accompanied by identification tips and general voice/location/identification information. They are also very nicely laid out, allowing you to compare birds with similar species. This book is practically the bible for birdwatchers!

I would recommend this guide to almost any birder. However it may be daunting for beginners (especially with the illustrations of warblers that all look the same!). It is probably best to buy this book after you have familiarized yourself with the native birds of the country you live in. But for a fully-fledged birder, this book is great for expanding knowledge of birds.

[Sean H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just the absolute best; my own copy may be worn and battered but there's no way I'm leaving it at home any time soon! Even after several years of using it, there is unread information and comparisons which aid every field trip, and the 'voice' section on each bird is often better than apps/websites with sound recording. One useful addition would probably be to note which calls are given by overhead migrants (especially nocturnal) but obviously there are more specialist places to find such information.

The best bird guide I've ever seen!!

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really an excellent Field Guide !
I was a fan of the Peterson's guides for American birds but I gave a try to the Svensson for my stay in Europe and I was amazed by the book.
There is a lot of drawings, which is very helpful to identify birds, and also a nice introduction at the beginnig. There's also a lot of descriptions, the cost of that being the small size of the text...

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Yay ! I just received it :) lots of fun for tonight !

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

For many years I have used Peterson, Mountfort and Hollom and considered it the best bird identification book around. I received a copy of the Collins Bird Guide as a gift and I have to agree that it is superb. The pictures are detailed with excellent hints to aid identification. The text is concise but brings sufficient detail to help confirm species, especially when looking at the little brown jobs sent to test the patience of a birdwatcher. Excellent book.

[Geevee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for the kids and me to read about the regular visitors to our garden but also the uncommon birds who visit infrequently or only in winter.

Great pictures and little maps showing where the birds are likely to show up either as a resident or visitor.

[Ayla Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best bird guide on the market. Very complete and very comprehensive. Lot of useful information that help to identify the birds and the drawings inside are much more life-like than some other bird guides. It is maybe a bit heavy to bring along in the field, but it is definitely worth it.

[óscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maravillosa. Exhaustiva. Las ilustraciones son preciosas y precisas. También los textos, en especial la descripción de las voces, de una sorprendente y extraña meticulosidad poética.

[Psycheinhell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommandé (et testé in situ) par les bénévoles de la sympathique ADEV (l'Association pour la Défense de l'Environnement Vendéen, qui gère l'Observatoire des oiseaux du marais d'Olonne), ce guide bien complet est devenu un nouveau et apprécié compagnon de marche et de nature watching, m'accompagnant en l'espace d'une semaine, à la fin de l'été 2012, sur les traces de goélands, mouettes rieuses, blanches aigrettes, avocettes élégantes, rapides gravelots à collier interrompu et autres beautés ailées des rivages, soufflant des noms sur mes rencontres de hasard et d'émerveillement, telle la huppe fasciée au beau ramage déployé au détour d'un sentier de côte. Présence improbable, il s'avéra précieux jusque sur les aires d'autoroute, pour permettre à la ci-devant illettrée de la nature de savoir qu'elle pourchassait de sa curiosité un bruyant pinson des arbres, ou que le cercle de piafs qui l'entoura au coeur d'une haie pour commenter (ou insulter ?) son art de pisser dans les bois était composé de chardonnerets élégants...
Bref, un compagnon de marche qui porte bien son nom de guide – mais que les débutants dans mon genre devront prendre le temps d'apprivoiser, l'approche taxonomique et le grand nombre d'espèces présentées pouvant laisser le novice un peu perdu sur le terrain. C'est l'occasion de s'aiguiser le regard au fil des pages et des plumages !

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it! I'm using the 3rd edition, and it has nearly everything I need for accurate bird identification. If you live in Europe and wonder which field guide to pick, this one should definitely be on your list.

My favorite parts are their extra sections where they provide useful tips for gulls and waders identification.

As many other readers already mentioned, this book is a must-have for every birdwatcher :)

[Jo Larkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you only own one field guide make it this one. Excellent coverage and clear illustrations for identification with remarkable amount of infofmation for such a compact volume. Mine is in constsnt use.

[Regulus · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's like the bible to me.


Actually, if you think about it long enough, in the distant past many had to die and perish for this book to come to life centuries later. Just like the other one. Just saying.

[Iraida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best bird guide ever.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so superior to my old Peterson Field Guide of the Birds of Britain and Europe.

[Hilary Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply, a miracle of publishing. THE Bible for bird-lovers in Britain and Europe.

[Jānis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Western Palaearctic bird guide there is.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without any doubt the best bird guide for Europe!

[José Taborda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily the best bird guide I ever used, somewhat expensive but is worth every euro. Illustrations are really true to life, and all the details and info is so accurate and nicely organized

[Simon Eeles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best bird guide available for Britain and Europe. Useful in regular size or large format.

[Ana Dias Amaral · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muito completo nas descrições, ilustrações excelentes! Um guia indispensável para quem pretende aprender a identificar aves.

[Thomas Vroom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever!