Puffins are among the most instantly recognisable, iconic and well loved of birds. For many they are a highlight of the UK's summer coastline and their colourful appearance, comedy antics and approachability just add to their popularity. Several 'hotspots' are attracting high levels of interest in visits to their colonies. In spite of the high level of interest in, and appeal of, these birds there has been a surprising lack of books focused on puffins as a species.
Award-winning wildlife photographer Mark Sisson has spent several years photographing puffins and this new book combines images that beautifully encapsulate their charm and visual appeal with an accessible text written by leading wildlife writer Dominic Couzens. The Secret Lives of Puffins covers the birds' life cycle, behaviour, habitats and the current and future challenges that they face, along with many surprising facts and anecdotes.
Shropshire-based photographer Mark Sisson's photographic work is regularly published in an array of books and journals including BBC Wildlife, Birds and The Countryman.
Dominic Couzens is the author of many books on birds and other aspects of natural history including RSPB The Secret Lives of British Birds, RSPB The Secret Lives of Garden Birds and RSPB The Secret Lives of Garden Wildlife, all published by Christopher Helm, as well as The Mitchell Beazley Pocket Guide to Garden Birds, Identifying British Birds and Identifying Birds by Behaviour (Collins), The Complete Back Garden Birdwatcher, Bird Migration and Top 100 Birding Sites of the World (New Holland), 100 Birds to See Before You Die (Carlton) and My Family and 50 Other Animals.
"Puffins are notoriously photogenic birds and this coffee-table book of photographs fully lives up to this. [...] As a series of mostly excellent photographs it is fine. But as a source of information on the Atlantic Puffin, let alone the other two species of puffin, you will need to look elsewhere."
- Diane Ridgley, BTO book reviews