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&i;The Birds of Scotland&o; is the definitive book on the birds of Scotland. It is the third in a line of Scottish avifaunas, following in the footsteps of the Misses Baxter and Rintoul's 1953 `The Birds of Scotland' and Valerie Thom's 1986 `Birds in Scotland'.
In two full-colour A4 hardback volumes, containing 1,632 pages, this encyclopaedia of Scottish birds is written by 157 experts and edited by a team of nine editors led by Ron Forrester and Ian Andrews. All 514 species ever seen in Scotland are included, from the all-important breeding species and winter visitors to the regular migrants and one-off vagrants that combine to make the Scottish avifauna so varied. Each species is allocated between one and six pages with at least one photograph of the species taken in Scotland (or artwork, if no photograph is available). The significance of Scottish populations is placed in context, and threats and gaps in our knowledge are highlighted. Extinctions, colonisations and the ups and downs of many species illustrate the ever-changing nature of our avifauna stretching back through the 200 years of documented ornithology.
Twelve introductory chapters provide a detailed background to geography, habitat, migration, the history of birds in Scotland and more, while seven appendices include a 2005-06 update, a population estimates summary and details of Gaelic bird names. The 74-page bibliography of over 5,800 references gives access to the library of information on which the accounts are based.
Illustrated with more than 900 first-class photographs and 1,500 charts, maps and tables, this landmark publication is a must for everyone with an interest in Scottish birds - from the casual naturalist to the professional ornithologist, and for visitor and resident alike.
