History of British Birds

Derek Yalden & Umberto Albarella

A review of our knowledge of avifaunal history over the last 15,000 years, setting it in its wider historical and European context.

The authors, one an ornithologist and the other an archaeologist, integrate a wealth of archaeological data indicating the extent to which climatic, agricultural, and social changes have affected the avifauna. They discuss its present balance, as well as predicting possible future changes. For example, we can say quite a lot about the history of the Crane, Red Kite, White-tailed Eagle and Great Auk. The history of many introduced domestic species can also be illuminated. Even so, there remain uncertainties, posed by difficulties of dating or identification, the vagaries of the archaeological record or the ecological specialities of the birds themselves. 288 pages.

Softback £55.00