From its long coastline, with cliffs and islands that bustle with breeding seabirds in the summer, to its open moorland that hold some of the most southerly Curlews and Black Grouse, Wales packs a lot of birds into a small area. It is significant for its populations of Chough, Hawfinch and Pied Flycatcher, and its Manx Shearwaters are of global importance. And it has played an important role in the study of migration, as Skokholm was the first bird observatory in Britain.
It is almost 30 years since the first avifauna was published for all of Wales and much has changed. Knowledge of the status of many species has increased thanks to improved monitoring and a greater number of birdwatchers, and we have a better understanding of how humans have affected Wales’ birds, particularly the twin challenges of land-use and climate change.
The Birds of Wales synthesises the new information and sets it in context of each species’ history in Wales. It tells the stories of all the birds that have been recorded here, whether common or rare, and looks forward, anticipating what may occur in the coming decades. It will have an essential place on the bookshelf of everyone with an interest in birds in Wales and should be on the desk or in the rucksack of everyone who influences what happens to the nation’s land and seas. It is a once-in-a-generation state of Wales’ birds.
'[The Birds of Wales] is already proving to be an invaluable reference for information on species ecology and demography in Wales... It is beautifully illustrated with a scattering of photographs generously donated by a number of photographers.' Callum Macgregor, British Trust for Ornithology '[The Birds of Wales] is certainly a very weighty tome, worthy of a place on any birdwatcher's bookshelf... The authors deserve huge congratulation on producing this impressive publication. The amount of research that has gone in to the work is staggering.' Alan Rosney, Glamorgan Bird Club '[The Birds of Wales] is good-value and an essential purchase for anyone with even the slightest interest in birds in Wales, and for all conservationists and planners. There should be a copy in every public and school library in the country. For book collectors, it is another excellent addition to the large-format avifauna genre.' John Clark, British Birds 'This superb book, which is the worthy successor and update of Birds in Wales (Lovegrove, Williams & Williams, 1994), is one of the excellent avifaunas produced by Liverpool University Press. We had to wait but the result is extraordinary.' Walter Belis, Alauda Translated from French, 'Ce superbe livre, qui est le digne successeur et une mise à jour de Birds in Wales (Lovegrove, Williams & Williams, 1994), fait partie des excellentes avifaunes produites par Liverpool University Press. Il a fallu patienter mais le résultat est extraordinaire. ' ‘This is a great book, which tells you everything about what Wales has to offer in the world of birdwatching… The pictures are stunning, and the write-ups of all the species from a team of great names matches them.’ John Miles, Birdwatching Magazine 'The Birds of Wales is an environmental milestone. The writer’s lives paused in time while they secured an immense record of the ecology and distribution of our avifauna at a critical period. It will inspire young minds, mobilise the essential army of recorders and future generations will use it to critically assess our efforts to protect the natural world.' Catherine Duigan, Medium
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