Product Description

A truly comprehensive multimedia field guide for the avid bird-listener, for quick and easy identification of over 200 birds. This unique Collins Field Guide features two CDs providing audio references for Geoff Sample's comprehensive list of songs and calls of the common birds of Britain and Northern Europe. With the CDs organised by habitat and the list of birds by species, together they enable the bird watcher to easily match a song or call with the species. Beginning with a scientific overview of the terminology used, the general meanings of bird songs and calls and their various functions as tools for socialising and communicating, the book then takes you through the list of bird species, examining their sounds and their different meanings. With over two hours of digitally recorded sounds and hundreds of species covered, this is an indispensable guide for any dedicated bird fan, leaving you with a far greater understanding of the natural noises that surround us everyday.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21113 in Books
• Published on: 1996-04-18
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

Review
REVIEWS OF PREVIOUS CDS BY GEOFF SAMPLE "remarkably vivid!sheer pleasure" BBC NATURAL HISTORY PROGRAMME "The quality is as much rich sound tapestries as superb examples of a variety of British bird song" BRITISH WILDLIFE "a varied and excellent selection" RSPB BIRDS "Evocative. The quality of the recordings is excellent" BRITISH BIRDS

About the Author
Geoff Sample was born in rural Northumberland and has been interested in nature since his childhood. He worked in the London music industry for 15 years, but during this time he never lost his fascination with birds and wildlife. Nine years ago he began studying and recording birdsong. He is the author of Collins Field Guide Bird Songs and Calls, Bird Call Identification and Garden Bird Songs and Calls.

Customer Reviews

The best way to learn bird calls yet
A very useful package of 2 CDs and book that cover most, if not all, the birds of Britain.
The book describes the birds calls and if they are on the CDs, as most are, a track number is given.
There are a few birds missing from the CDs, which is a shame, but the 2 disks are full.
A number of birds of prey are missing, and a few Warblers are not included, but maybe they will turn up on Geoff Samples next book/CD that deals just with them.
Other than that, having loads of birds on CD is very useful, as you can skip through tracks with easy.
The recording quality is very good, and with a whispering voice by Geoff telling you what bird is what, it feels like you are there in the field.
Its very relaxing too !

Relax and learn
A double CD set covering all the Britsh birds you are likely to encounter on those birding walks ,categorized by habitat, and with a book outlining the "what and where".
Even the narrator on the CD's is laid back.
One small quibble was the lack of a suitable CD case ,I put the CD's in a double CD case as soon as I found one..
If you want to learn to identify Britsh birds by their songs and calls then buy this now..

Useful and enjoyable to listen to
A very nice little package. The book lists most (if not all) British birds with a description of their calls, along with the track number, if its included on the CD.
The CD has most birds you are likely to hear in the UK...though there are a number missing I would have liked to have heard...Cetti's Warbler for example.
The quality of the recordings are very good. It feels like you are outside with the author as he whispers their names.
Recommended.