Bird books are the White stuff

Nature lovers will be wishing for a White Christmas this week – even if seasonal temperatures are too warm to produce a single snowflake.

A brilliant book collection, dubbed the White Series by fans, has become the essential library every naturalist should own, for reference at home or in the field.

The books are so called because of their striking cover designs but, once opened, each volume is a colourful, fact-filled introduction to the animals, insects, plants and habitats that makes watching wildlife so fascinating. They are the perfect Christmas gift for any nature fan, expert or novice alike.

As a youngster, I lined up the Observer’s series of pocket-size guides on my bedroom windowsill, to dip into whenever I wanted to browse everything from British birds’ eggs to trees and wildflowers.

A half-century later, the White Series takes pride of place on my bookshelves, as fact-filled texts for when I am researching articles or as backpack companions when out adventuring.

To date, there are 15 volumes in Princeton University Press’s Wildguides collection – to give the series its official name – with more to come. Titles so far include Britain’s Birds, Britain’s Dragonflies, Britain’s Spiders and Britain’s Butterflies, but the range is expanding with Europe’s Dragonflies and Europe’s Sea Mammals.

Delving into the newly published second edition of Britain’s Birds quickly reveals the remarkable achievements of the publishers.

In total, the guide contains 3,500 photographs spread over 576 pages, providing comprehensive accounts of all 631 species seen on our shores up to the beginning of this year. At £20, birdwatchers of all skills will benefit hugely from studying the vast display of photographs depicting species in their different plumages, according to age, sex or seasonal variations.

For instance, take a common bird such as the great tit. There are five annotated photographs showing all the key field marks as well as those that help separate the British subspecies from its smaller-billed and duller toned continental cousin.

Even our much-loved robin is seen in its adult, juvenile and paler European plumages.

For more details visit princeton.press/ wildguideseries