A joyous celebration of Britain’s rich bird lifeIn Birdland, journalist and lifelong birder Jon Gower explores our intimate connection with the bird life around us. From the symphonic song of the wren to the clack of a puffin’s beak and from epic migrations to sunset murmurations, birds are commonplace miracles. No wonder they have inspired our artists, writers and songwriters. Whether rare or abundant, Jon Gower visits some of the best places in Britain to watch birds, searching for some species he has always wanted to see such as wryneck, dotterel and barred warbler.But all is not well in Birdland. Gower charts the many changes to Britain’s bird life over the last 50 years, as the countryside has seemingly emptied and in many ways fallen silent. He considers the effects of the climate emergency, the decline in biodiversity and warming oceans on birdlife and looks at work being done to mitigate these developments. But above all it is a celebration of birds and their being, and a call to arms to defend them. As Great Bustards return to our plains and eagles to our mountains, Jon Gower’s book examines the future from a bird’s-eye view.Jon Gower's Birdland is a prize-winning exploration of nature and ecology, focusing on endangered bird species. As a top guide in birdwatching, his memoirs read like a biography of the birds he has encountered, making this non-fiction book a must-read for animal enthusiasts.For fans of Daniel Start (Wild Guide Lake District and Yorkshire Dales), John Lewis-Stempel (England), Mark Rees (The Little Book of Welsh Landmarks), Alice Roberts (The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being), and Darren Chetty (How to Disagree).HarperCollins 2025
