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Inner Hebrides

The books are arranged by publication date with the most recent at the top of the page.

Scotland

Scotland

For books that cover regions of Scotland see:

Argyll
Ayrshire
Borders
Central Valley
Dumfries & Galloway
Fair Isle
Fife
Grampian
Highland
Inner Hebrides
Orkney
Outer Hebrides
Shetland

The Birds of Colonsay and Oronsay: An Island Avifauna and Bird Atlas

David C. Jardine

"The Birds of Colonsay and Oronsay provides an up to date account of the avifauna of these two small Hebridean islands, incorporating information from archaeological excavations of the Mesolithic sites on Oronsay, an atlas of the breeding and wintering birds and details of a the wide range of migrants which have occurred. It is in full colour with 165 distribution maps, 100 graphs depicting population trends and 174 photographs."

The Birds of Eigg

John Chester

2013

"Eigg is a Scottish island with a rich, diverse mosaic of habitats supporting a wide variety of wildlife. The island's bird life reflects this diversity with around 70 species breeding each year and many more occurring as passage or winter visitors. This book provides a summary of all bird species known to have occurred on the Island up until March 2012. This publication is important, as not only is it the most comprehensive account ever written of Eigg's birdlife, both past and present, but it is also a testament to the dedicated work of John Chester and the efforts of islanders who help to nurture the natural richness of this beautiful island."

Birdwatching on Mull and Iona: A Pocket Guide With Maps

David Sexton

Brown and Whittaker Publishing

2010

"This guide will take you to the best birdwatching places on Mull and Iona, and the surrounding waters. You will know where to find the famous white-tailed sea eagles and learn how to tell the difference between an eagle and a buzzard."

Isle of Skye Natural History Walks

Chris Mitchell

2010

"A selection of twenty walks focusing on the wildlife, geology and varied scenery of the Isle of Skye. The walks, which range from moderate to strenuous, are accompanied by detailed maps, colour photographs and information on time, distance, terrain and parking. The emphasis throughout is on enjoying the sights and sounds along the way, and there are plenty of pointers on sites of r interest to look for, and what wildlife might be sighted where."

Skye Birds

R.L. McMillan

2009

"This is the first publication dedicated exclusively to the birds of Skye. Originally published in 2005, an updated 2nd edition was published in 2009. It has already proved a valuable source of reference not just to those who live on the island, but to the many tourists and other visitors who come to the area each year. Although the importance of the island group for Golden Eagles, and more recently White-tailed Eagles, is well recognised, the fact that Skye supports a wide diversity of bird life has largely gone unnoticed. Over 240 different species have been recorded in Skye, and 14 of these species, red listed as of high conservation concern, currently breed on the island. Based on reports which have been collected over the last 125 years, the book analyses all of these records and provides a systematic list of species, their status and distribution. There are additional chapters on habitats, conservation issues, and historical figures such as the Rev. Hugh Macpherson of Glendale , and Seton Gordon, who in different ways, were extremely influential in the development of knowledge of the area. A chapter is also dedicated to identifying areas of special interest to birdwatchers, and this should be invaluable to visitors and locals alike."

Analysis of Islay goose datasets to determine the effects of scaring and management factors on goose distributions: Phase II

David Douglas, Graham Austin, Chris Wernham and Mark Rehfisch

British Trust for Ornithology

2009

"BTO Scotland has been contracted by the Scottish Executive Environmental and Rural Affairs Department (now Scottish Government: Rural and Environment Research and Analysis Directorate) to conduct an analysis of datasets, collected between the winter seasons of 1992/93 a nd 2006/07, on wintering Greenland White- fronted Goose (Anser albifrons flavirostris) and Greenland Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) populations on Islay, Argyll. A programme of scaring (shooting and non-shooting scaring devices) has been in operation on the island since 2000/01 as part of the Islay Goose Management Scheme, with the aim of reducing the extent of agricultural damage by geese on Islay. The main aspect of this current project is to investigate whether the datasets collected within this scheme can be used to determine the effectiveness of the various scaring techniques."

Birds of Argyll

Argyll Bird Club

"The history, status and distribution of birds in Argyll. The core of the book is made up of individual accounts describing the status of the 327 bird species recorded in Argyll to 2006."

Birds of Tiree and Coll

John Bowler and Janet Hunter

"This book provides an up-to-date and user-friendly account of all 271 bird species recorded on the wildlife-rich islands of Coll and Tiree in the Scottish Inner Hebrides."

The Birds of Islay: A Celebration in Photographs

Gordon Langsbury and M. A. Ogilvie

2006

"A book of colour photographs of birds found on the Hebridean Island, along with text describing when and where they can be seen."

Light and Flight: A Hebridean Wildlife and Landscape Sketchbook

Philip Snow

2006

"From the cliffs of the Butt of Lewis to the granite outpost of Ailsa Craig, Philip Snow has captured in his stunning watercolours the whole coastline of the Hebrides. His studies of birds are the product of a lifetime of observation in the field. Most of his pictures come with field notes and anecdotes that transport the reader to the world of soaring eagles and rasping corncrakes. No other book has presented the rich wildlife of the islands so intimately and with such skill."

Skye Birds: An Illustrated Guide to the Birds of Skye and Where to Find Them

R.L. McMillan

Skye-Birds.com

2005

"This is the first publication dedicated exclusively to the birds of Skye. Although the importance of the island group for Golden Eagles, and more recently White-tailed Eagles, is well recognised, the fact that Skye supports a wide diversity of bird life has largely gone unnoticed. A total of 238 different species have been recorded, and 14 of these are red listed. The book analyses records from the last 125 years, and provides a systematic list, plus information on status and distribution. There are additional chapters on habitats, conservation issues, and historical figures such as the Rev. Hugh Macpherson of Glendale, and Seton Gordon, who in different ways were influential in the development of ornithological knowledge of the island. A chapter is dedicated to areas of special interest to birdwatchers.

The Wildlife of Mull and How to Find It

Jay Butler and Anna Levin

2003

"A guide to how, where and when to see the wildlife on the island of Mull, whether you are exploring by car or on foot."

The Birds Of Islay: Including when and where to find them and lists of other fauna and flora

Malcolm Ogilvie

3rd edition

2003

"Third, enlarged and fully revised, edition of this popular guide, which first appeared in 1992. Expanded to 80 pages, it contains a complete systematic list of all 277 species and five identifiable subspecies seen on the island to the end of 2002. Status information for each species includes the most important areas and times of year, as well as an indication of numbers present, whether breeding, passage or wintering. Introductory chapters describe the different habitats on the island together with the top ten bird-watching locations. As a new feature, the booklet includes checklists of mammals, reptiles and amphibians, butterflies, dragonflies and wild flowers."

The Birds of Colonsay and Oronsay

David C. Jardine

2nd edition

2002

Combines a guide to birdwatching sites with an annotated checklists for the islands.

Island Eagles: 20 Years Observing Golden Eagles on the Isle of Skye

Ken Crane and Kate Nellist

1999

An account, in diary format, of 20 years of studying Golden Eagles on Skye.

Rum: Nature's Island

Magnus Magnusson

1997

"Containing practical advice for visitors to what was once termed the "Forbidden Isle", this comprehensive guide brings to the reader an idea of Rum's history, geography and geology, fauna and flora and culture."

The Birds Of Islay: Including when and where to find them

Malcolm Ogilvie

2nd edition

1994

Wildlife of Skye and Raasay

P. Yoxon

1990

A guide to the wildlife of the islands of Skye and Raasay.

Birds of Mull

Mike Madders and Philip Snow

1990

A guide to the best birdwatching sites plus a full systematic list.

The Hebrides

J. M. Boyd & I. L. Boyd

Collins

1990

"In a style at once both readable and informative the Drs. J. M. and I. L. Boyd cover every aspect of the islands. Starting with a clear explanation of the geology, climate and hydrography, they move on to a fascinating description of the many varies habitats, from the sea and inland waters through to woodlands and moor and hill. Part II deals with the characteristics of individual islands and their species, while in part III the islands are discussed in the context of their relation to people - starting with the old naturalists, and ending on a topical note with the current interest in conservation."

Birds Of Islay

Richard E. Elliott

1989

"Islay is the most southerly island of the Hebrides lying 24 kilometres from Kintyre on mainland Britain, across the approaches to the Sound of Jura. It has an area of 615 square kilometres. For this book, the author presents a collation of facts about the birds and some ways in which they interact with human aspirations. The main part of this book is based on the ornithological records accumulated by C.Gordon Booth from 1968 to 1985. Accounts of the occurrence of both regular and vagrant birds seen here together with migration, the history of habitats and the problems of conservation in association with the island community are also discussed."

Birds on Coll and Tiree: Status, Habitats and Conservation

Nature Conservancy Council Great Britain / Scottish Ornithologists' Club

A collection of research papers.

Islands in the Sound: Wildlife in the Hebrides

Alison Johnson

Gollancz

1989

"Attempting to capture the atmosphere of the Western Isles, this Hebridean wildlife diary is a sequel to Alison Johnson's first book, "A House by the Shore". The book describes the seascape, a home for the seals and sea birds of this wild region, and is illustrated by wildlife artist John Busby."

Birds Of Eigg

John Chester

1988

Annotated checklist of species recorded on the island written by the resident Wildlife Trust warden.

Birds in Jura

C. Gordon Booth

8 page guide to sites and checklist of species recorded on the island.

The Naturalist In The Hebrides

Derrick Knowlton

1977

180 pages with b/w photographs and maps.

Birds in Islay

C. Gordon Booth

1975

Annotated checklist of species recorded on the island with some b/w photograps.

A Fauna Of The North-West Highlands And Skye

J.A. Harvie-Brown and H.A. McPherson

1904

A Vertebrate Fauna Of Argyll And The Inner Hebrides

J.A. Harvie-Brown and T.E. Buckley

1892

Birds of Iona and Mull: 1852-70

Henry Davenport Graham

David Douglas, Edinburgh

1890

Contents:

• Preface by J.A. Harvie-Brown
• Original preface by Mr Robert Gray
• Memoir of the author
• Letters from H.D. Graham to Robert Gray, Secretary of the Glasgow Natural History Society
• Extract from Diaries, including a "Walk Through Glemnore in Mull"
• Notes from the Minute-Books of the Natural History Society of Glasgow
• The Birds Of Iona And Mull
• Appendix: Place names on Iona

The Birds Of The West Of Scotland Including The Outer Hebrides

Robert Gray

Thomas Murray & Son, Glasgow

1871

From the preface:

"Since the publication of the respective works of Sir William Jardine, Professor Macgillivray, and Mr Selby, nothing in a collected form on the Birds of Scotland has been brought under the notice of ornithologists. Many useful and interesting papers have no doubt appeared through various channels, but even the best of these have been restricted within comparatively narrow limits, so that a field, such as that chosen for the title of this volume, may be said to have been hitherto almost unoccupied. It is now upwards of twenty years since I formed the design of collecting materials for such a work, and during that interval it may safely be said that no exertions have been spared to make these materials serve a useful purpose. I have personally visited nearly every locality mentioned, for the express object of acquiring reliable information, and have made myself practically familiar with the birds whose names are catalogued in these pages. Having, besides, repeatedly traversed the entire coast line of Scotland, as well as rambled over the greater portion of the inland counties and their woodland and moorland solitudes, unusual facilities have been afforded me of renewing my observations on the habits of species, and on the various phases of bird life seen from observatories so varied as our country presents. No part of Great Britain, indeed, is more inviting to the ornithologist than the western mainland of Scotland and its island dependencies their mountains and rugged headlands being still frequented by eagles and lordly peregrines; their inland waters and lone sea shores visited by the stately swan; and their peaceful glens and viii PREFACE. brawling rivers enlivened by the presence of many interesting birds long since driven from the meres and sunburnt plains of the south."