Collins Bird Songs & Calls

by Geoff Sample

This second edition of the acclaimed Collins Guide to Bird Songs and Calls includes re-recorded versions of the original habitat CDs—ensuring that they are even clearer, but just as atmospheric—introducing the user to the major bird habitats of Britain and the birds that live in them. The new edition also contains a third CD containing a unique beginner's guide to birdsong in a course of 12 monthly sessions. Covering around 30 of the most common garden and parkland bird species in the 12 sessions, it also gives an outline of the behavioral context—when the different species sing, why they sing and what is going on in the wider bird community. The group of species featured each month will be chosen for the similarities in their voices and songs; often this will mean birds of the same family. By introducing a group of similar sounding birds each month—and starting with the easy birds first—this accessible guide will help one to quickly appreciate the wonderful range of bird voices and to discover just what birdsong is all about.

Genres: Reference, Birds, Nonfiction, Natural History, Nature

232 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1996

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book and CD combination that uses plain and simple language to help develop the skills to identify birds through their calls and songs. Sample is largely self-taught and this experience has taught him a number of hints and tips that he passes on in this work that makes identifying birds by their calls a lot easier. The CDs are very helpful as they keep the background sounds and Sample describes when and where the recordings were made, giving additional ways to identify birds based on where and when a particular call is heard. Not only that, the CDs are great to listen to alone both to develop your skills further and just as relaxing background music.

[Cidney · Rating 1 out of 5]

This has a lot of information but compared to the last book I read on identifying birds this is the poorer version. It does give you information for each bird but there are no colour photographs, in fact there are no photographs at all, presumably they are assuming that you have prior knowledge of the birds! But I don't. It does come with two cd's but I couldn't get them to work, or rather my cd player kept rejecting them!

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly useful guide to encourage using your ears rather than just your eyes. Good quality recordings in a wide variety of habitats.