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Ireland

This page lists books about birds and birdwatching in Ireland.

The books are listed by publication date with the most recent at the top.


Europe

For bird books that cover all of Europe see:

- Europe (All)
- Britain/Europe field guides

 

Ireland's Garden Birds: How To Identify, Attract & Garden For Birds

Oran O'Sullivan and Jim Wilson

Collins Press

2nd edition

2017

"This highly successful guide to identifying garden birds has now been fully updated with the latest information and statistics. Highlighting a range of plants and planting schemes that support wildlife, it provides expert advice on making your garden a haven for birds. Learn everything you need to know about the birds you're most likely to see from your window, how to attract them into your garden and how to care for them. Each species is accessibly described, with details of identification, status and abundance, feeding habits, songs and call, and breeding season. The species descriptions are enhanced by new photographs by Mark Carmody, a nature photographer whose work is widely published."

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Ireland's Birds: Myths, Legends and Folklore

Niall Mac Coitir

Illustrations: Gordon D'Arcy

The Collins Press

2015

"Birds have been part of our culture for thousands of years. They have inspired poets and painters, and feature in many legends and place names. Here Niall Mac Coitir provides a comprehensive look at the mythology, legends and folklore of Irish birds, both wild and domestic. He presents various aspects of bird folklore, such as fairy birds, birds of notable song or beauty, birds in the Brehon Laws and in early Irish poetry, and legends, such as the Children of Lir being turned into swans and how the banshee often appeared in the form of a crow, are featured. The birds are presented in seasonal order based either on their migratory habits, for example the cuckoo in summer, or on their cultural associations, such as the robin at Christmas. Also explored is how birds are often powerful symbols of various virtues and qualities, such as the goose, which is a symbol of watchfulness and bravery."

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Finding Birds in Ireland: The Complete Guide

Eric Dempsey and Michael O'Clery

Gill & Macmillan

2014

" Since the publication of the best-selling first edition of Finding Birds in Ireland in 2007, Ireland's rich birdlife and its habitats have continued to be explored. This new second edition captures many new areas that have been discovered as rich birdwatching locations, as well as updating all of those sites described in the first edition. Since 2007 access and directions to many sites have changed while additional species have been recorded at many locations. This second edition includes the very latest information on each and every site. This comprehensive and beautifully illustrated reference guide is a 'must-have' for both experienced and novice birdwatchers. It is also an invaluable guide for visiting birdwatchers. The authors of the Complete Field Guide to Ireland's Birds cover almost 450 of the best birdwatching sites in Ireland, north and south. Organised county by county, this is an easy-to-follow handbook giving the site names, grid references, detailed directions and maps for each site. It includes the best times to visit each area, a breakdown of the different seasons and the species you are likely to find, and lists rare birds seen at each site in the past."

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Birds of the Homeplace: The Lives of Ireland's Familiar Birds

Anthony McGeehan, Julian Wyllie

The Collins Press

2014

"Ireland is slowly becoming a country of nature and bird enthusiasts. Everyone has a space gardens, farmland and oases of natural habitat to enjoy everyday encounters with birds. Familiar the birds may be but their lives can fascinate and they are adapted to survive in ways that surprise. They are centre stage in this book that brings alive the feathered characters of Irish neighbourhoods. Following the success of Birds Through Irish Eyes, Anthony McGeehan and Julian Wyllie take on the task of showcasing over seventy species, from Coal Tits, which choose to drop more seed from feeders than they carry away, to Irish Swallows, which avoid dying from thirst while crossing the Sahara. Some are permanent residents, others use Ireland as one of several homes. Distinctive descriptions are complemented by stunning photographs."

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The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide

Jim Wilson

Photograh: Mark Carmody

Collins Press

2013

"Following the success of Ireland's Garden Birds, Jim Wilson has teamed up with Mark Carmody for a collaborative work that is in a different mould from their previous publications, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and Shorebirds of Ireland. An important tool of a birdwatcher is a good identification guide. Most cover the birds of Europe and few deal exclusively with Ireland. This first photographic identification guide to the birds of Ireland has over 1,600 photos of more than 260 species, in an easy, quick-reference format. With eight to fifteen images per species, the key identification features of each bird are shown, with concise descriptions and pointers to indicate important features. This guide is produced in association with BirdWatch Ireland, Ireland's leading bird conservation organisation."

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Bird Habitats in Ireland

Editors: Richard Nairn and John O'Halloran

Collins Press

2012

"The bird habitat types found in Ireland provide many answers to the puzzles of Ireland s bird life. Studies of Ireland s birds and their habitats show how Ireland is different from Europe and the neighbouring island of Britain, being a stronghold for species such as the Chough and Storm Petrel while common European species such as the Nuthatch and Tawny Owl are completely absent. In winter, birds stream into Ireland from their Arctic breeding grounds. In this comprehensive, up-to-date review of the bird communities of all the habitats in Ireland, a team of the most experienced o ornithologists in Ireland brings together descriptions of the habitat types and the typical bird species that they support. Habitat management and bird conservation issues are also fully addressed. Illustrated with quality photographs and maps, it will become a key work of reference for all future ornithological research in Ireland."

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Birds: Through Irish Eyes

Anthony McGeehan with Julian Wyllie

Collins Press

2012

"Watching birds is a growing pastime for many people but how much do we really know about them? A lifetime spent identifying and photographing birds makes Anthony McGeehan the ideal guide to show us our birds in a different way, creatures that, to survive and delight us, bear an increasingly heavy load. They are beautiful and clever but are increasingly vulnerable because of modern farming practices, pollution, climate change and hunting. Birds: Through Irish Eyes presents the lives and times of the birds that surround us. Each has a story to tell, from Brent Geese, who perform an annual round trip from here to Canada, to Kestrels that engage ultra-violet vision to detect mice, from vanishing souls such as Corncrake and Skylarks. People's lives are intertwined with those of birds and the author encourages us to look and listen, to protect and understand and most of all to recognise the beauty of the birds around us. Lavishly illustrated and engrossingly narrated, this book is the birds' moment and, for some, perhaps, salvation."

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Freshwater Birds of Ireland

Jim Wilson

Images: Mark Carmody

Collins Press

2011

"Almost all the world's birds come to fresh water on a regular basis. In Ireland hundreds can be observed eating, drinking and washing on river and canal banks, in reservoirs, ponds and lakes. A broad range of birds, they take advantage of Ireland s climate and variety of freshwater habitats. They include the elegant great crested grebe which feeds feathers to its chicks to aid digestion, and moorhens, three of which may lay eggs in one nest and may raise two or three families in a year. Irish snipe, found on wet ground, with a population of roughly 15,000 - 20,000, are joined by over half a million snipe from Iceland and Europe each winter. The whooper swan, which breeds in Iceland, makes the longest non-stop migration of any swan, travelling 1,300km between Iceland and Ireland and has been seen on one flight at 8km above sea level. Mark Carmody spent many hours capturing the essence and beauty of Ireland's freshwater birds and their habitats."

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Birdwatching in Ireland with Eric Dempsey

Eric Dempsey

Gill & Macmillan

Paperback edition

2011

"Have you ever wondered why there are more birds in your garden in winter than in summer? Or why Swallows come to Ireland in summer but leave in winter? Maybe you just want to be able to identify the birds you see. Eric Dempsey has written this step-by-step guide so that beginners and advanced birdwatchers alike can develop a full understanding of Ireland's birds, their behaviour and migrations. Birdwatching in Ireland covers the whole process of appreciating birds as well as the specific methods of identifying different species of birds. Written in a relaxed and easy-to-read style, and rich with stunning full-colour images taken by some of Europe's leading bird and wildlife photographers, Birdwatching in Ireland is the book for anyone who has an interest in Ireland's birds."

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The Complete Guide to Ireland's Birds

Eric Dempsey and Michael O'Clery

Gill & Macmillan

3rd edition

2010

"Eric Dempsey and Michael O'Clery's award-winning The Complete Guide to Ireland's Birds has been continuously in print for almost twenty years. Since the publication of the second edition, many new species have been recorded in Ireland while others have now been afforded full species status. The Complete Field Guide to Ireland's Birds reflects these most recent changes to Ireland's birdlife. It contains a large number of new plates, maps and an updated text, together with other new features. It fully describes and illustrates almost 370 species, detailing key identification features, voice and diet, habitat and status in Ireland, and the latest distribution maps for each. In addition, over 100 of Ireland's rarest species are also described. Presented in a new, smaller format, it can be easily fitted into a pocket or a rucksack and is ideal for use in the field."

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Shorebirds of Ireland

Jim Wilson

Images: Mark Carmody

The Collins Press

2009

"Sandpipers and plovers are among the many shorebirds that live between the tides in Ireland, on mudflats and shingle, in estuaries and lagoons, on beaches and bays. Jim Wilson and Mark Carmody introduce this world and its birds, which we have all seen but may know little about. Description of how they adapted to this often harsh environment, and how they evolved ways of exploiting the food supply, is followed by an account of their amazing annual migrations between Ireland and places such as arctic Canada and Siberia. One chapter describes the special role of Iceland in the lives of many shorebirds. The species portraits of those most likely to be seen in Ireland are enhanced with outstanding images paying homage to the beauty and variety of these birds. Mark Carmody spent hundreds of hours in search of these photographs to capture the essence and beauty of our shorebirds and their environment. Jim Wilson s text is again informative and engaging, sure to increase appreciation and understanding of these birds and where they live."

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Where to Watch Birds: Ireland

Paul Milne

Christopher Helm

2009

"This new edition covers the best birdwatching sites in Ireland. In a format familiar to readers of this popular series, each site is considered in terms of 'Habitat', Access' and 'Birds', allowing birders of all levels to plan successful birding trips anywhere in Ireland, and to maximise the chances of getting the best out of each site and each region. The book includes up-to-date, detailed maps and attractive line drawings. This book has been extensively revised, with several new sites added for this edition, together with information on disabled access for most sites."

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Birdwatching in Ireland with Eric Dempsey

Eric Dempsey

Gill & Macmillan

2008

"Birdwatching in Ireland covers the whole process of appreciating birds on a generic level to the specific methods of identifying different species of birds. It is illustrated throughout with stunning full-colour images taken by some of Europe's leading bird and wildlife photographers. Part one covers many subjects from choosing the right binoculars to a more advanced understanding of how birds use their feathers and beaks. It looks at Ireland as a bird-watching country, and examines the different Irish seasonal migrations. It explains how and why birds communicate, their various nesting strategies, why Ireland has lost some birds and gained new ones, and examines the concept of what makes a species a species. Part two begins with 'Eric Dempsey's Ten Steps to Bird Identification'. This is Eric's own original, tried-and-tested method for the identification of Ireland's birds. It provides the best techniques to identify all the species you might encounter, from garden birds to ducks and geese, from owls to warblers and gulls."

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Birds: Ireland's Flora And Fauna

Gordon D'Arcy

Appletree Press

2008

"A new and thriving interest is being taken in Irish nature, and this beautifully bound guide will become a classic reference book for people of different ages and stages who wish to discover more about Ireland's birdlife. It describes in detail over 120 of the most common birds found in the Irish countryside: Each species is illustrated in full colour making this beautiful book both an attractive and indispensable guide to Irish nature."

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Ireland's Garden Birds: How To Identify, Attract & Garden For Birds

Oran O'Sullivan and Jim Wilson

Collins Press

2008

"Whether you are an avid gardener or just like feeding birds in your garden, this guide is an essential companion. This illustrated guide to Ireland s garden birds and wildlife gardening, provides information on the 60 birds most likely to be seen from the window, how to attract them into your garden and how to care for them. Part one features all the main gardening issues and highlights planting schemes to make your garden a haven for wildlife. Up to 60 bird species that can be seen anywhere from your windowsill and around the garden are featured in part two. Each species is described in a style designed to appeal to all, providing the hard facts of identification, status and abundance, feeding habits, songs, call and breeding season facts."

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Birds of Ireland: Facts, Folklore and History

Glynn Anderson

Collins Press

2008

"A companion to bird-identification guides, this book focuses on our interaction with birds, wild, domesticated and extinct. A general introduction covers birds in Irish mythology and folklore, birds as omens, harbingers and food, and bird-related beliefs, proverbs and curses. This is followed by a species-by-species account, with each name and its meaning, a description and associated beliefs, myths, legends, weather lore, proverbs, culinary traditions and place names. Most birds in Ireland are included, and the more common they are the longer the entry. Each entry ends with a Facts & Figures section, such as species numbers in Ireland, where it is common and its longevity."

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Finding Birds in Ireland

Eric Dempsey and Michael O'Clery

Gill & Macmillan

2007

"Organised county by county, this is an easy-to-follow handbook giving the site names, grid references, detailed directions and maps for each site. It includes the best times to visit each area, a breakdown of the different seasons and the species you are likely to find, and lists rare birds seen at each site in the past. "Finding Birds in Ireland" will become a well-thumbed addition to any birdwatcher's reference library as well as a celebratory record of the beauty and variety of birds in Ireland."

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Birds of Ireland: An Introduction to Familiar Species

James Kavanagh

Illustrations: Raymond Leung

A Pocket Naturalist Guide

Waterford Press

2007

"This useful, pocket-sized guide - perfect for bird lovers - highlights more than 140 avian species found in Ireland and includes a map featuring prominent birding hotspots. Laminated for durability, this handy reference is a great source of portable information and ideal for field use by novices and experts alike. Laminated for durability, these handy folding guides are a great source of portable information about the most commonly seen birds in Ireland."

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Birds of Ireland

Gordon D'Arcy

Appletree Press

2006

"Ireland possesses an astonishing variety of bird-life, not only in the countryside and on the coast, but also in the towns, city centres and suburbs. This guide describes over 120 of the most widespread species. Each is delightfully illustrated in full colour and accompanied by a description of its distinctive habits."

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Irish Birds: Collins Gem

David Cabot and Norman Arlott

Collins

2006

"An introductory guide to 167 of the most frequently occurring birds in Ireland in the best-selling pocketable Gem format. Irish Birds, describes and illustrates 160 of the most frequently occurring birds in Ireland. Specially designed for people with a general interest in birds, the species have been carefully selected to include those that the non-specialist birdwatcher is most likely to see. The entries are organised taxonomically, with a detailed introduction to all the different habitats. There are also details on key identification features and behavioural characteristics to help you identify each bird with accuracy and ease. Essential identification characteristics are given for each species, along with clear illustrations. There are notes on distribution, numbers and migration for each species as well as information on feeding habits and voice. Common name and Latin and Gaelic name are given. There is also a section with up-to-date information on places of interest and the best sites to go for birdwatching, with maps and contact information to help you get there."

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Ireland's Wetlands and their Waterbirds: Status and Distribution

Olivia Crowe

BirdWatch Ireland

2005

"Wintering waterbird populations on Irish Wetlands are regularly monitored through the I-WeBS which began in the winter of 1994/95. This publication provides a summary of the results from the first six winters including detailed accounts of 200 wetland sites and 80 waterbird species throughout Ireland."

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A Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Ireland by Habitat

Mark Golley, Dave Daly

New Holland Publishers

2004

"A guide describing just under 300 species organised by habitat for ease of use. The text includes identification tips, details of habitat and calls for over 280 bird species. It is illustrated with over 1000 spectacular, full-colour illustrations by Dave Daly."

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Irish Birds

David Cabot

Collins

2004

"An easy-to-use, fully-illustrated guide to the birds of Ireland Irish Birds describes and illustrates 160 of the most frequently occurring birds in Ireland. Specially designed for people with a general interest in birds, the species have been carefully selected to include those that the non-specialist birdwatcher is most likely to see. Birds are grouped together according to where they are most likely to be seen: in gardens, parks and buildings; farmland and hedgerows; woodland and scrubland; moorland and upland; freshwater or coastal areas. In addition: sections start with background information about each of the major habitats; essential identification characteristics are given for each species, along with clear illustrations; there are notes on distribution, numbers and migration for each species; general pages for thrushes, tits, sparrows, finches etc help you to distinguish similar species. Finally, a 'places to visit' section details 74 of the best sites in Ireland for birdwatching, including when to visit, how to get there, and what you will see."

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Seabird Populations in Britain and Ireland

Ian Mitchell, Stephen Newton, Norman Ratcliffe, Timothy E. Dunn

Christopher Helm

2004

"A summary of the findings of the 'Seabird 2000' national initiative to carry out a census on all the breeding seabirds of Britain and Ireland, this study includes accounts of the current numbers and distribution of 25 different species."

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The Complete Guide to Ireland's Birds

Eric Dempsey and Michael O'Clery

Gill & Macmillan

2nd edition

2002

"The Complete Guide to Ireland's Birds was published in 1993 and quickly established itself as the best and most comprehensive such guide ever produced. It was a best seller. What made it unique was that it covered all species recorded in Ireland to that date, and did so using an original layout including birds in typical poses as well as standard identification plates. It included the most up to date distribution maps and full descriptions of males, females, immatures, voice, diet and preferred habitat of 312 species. It also had brief descriptions of over 100 rare species. All these features are retained in the new edition. The principal changes concern the Irish bird population itself. Some species, such as the Corn Bunting, have become extinct while others, such as the Little Egret, are now well established. There have been falls in both Skylark and Lapwing populations and distribution while Corncrakes are re-establishing a breeding population in areas where they have been extinct for almost forty years. In addition, many species have been seen in Ireland for the first time since 1993. The new edition of the Complete Guide reflects these additional species, thus maintaining its coverage of all species recorded in Ireland to date."

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An Atlas of Breeding Birds of the Burren and the Aran Islands

Liam Lysaght

BirdWatch Ireland

2002

"The karst landscape of the Burren is familiar to many birdwatchers as are the 105 breeding species that have been recorded there. As well as species accounts and distribution maps this atlas contains chapters discussing changes in bird populations over the past 30 years and in land usage."

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Birds of Britain and Ireland

John Gooders

Kingfisher Pocket Guide

Kingfisher

2002

"This is a practical, informative and colour-illustrated field guide to 250 species of birds. It also contains distribution maps and complete checklists for easy identification."

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The Migration Atlas: Movements of the Birds of Britain and Ireland

C. Wernham, M. Toms, J. Marchant, J. Clark, G. Siriwardena and S. Baillie

Illustrations: Ian Willis

Poyser

2002

"Using a vast amount of data that the British Trust for Ornithology have collected from ringing recoveries, this title presents detailed and up-to-date information on bird migration. Since the ringing programme began in 1909, there have been around half a million recoveries of birds ringed in the UK. The data yielded have enabled the BTO to build up a picture of the movements of around 200 migratory species, and this book presents that information in a clear and concise format."

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Birds of Britain and Ireland

Dominic Couzens

Collins

2001

"A comprehensive guide that provides a unique combination of identification artwork with photographs and sketches that illustrate bird behaviour. Divided by bird family, each identification plate is arranged to show similar-looking species together. For each one there is are detailed identification illustrations showing the male, female and juvenile. These are supplemented by maps showing breeding and wintering locations, and voice descriptions of songs and calls. The information or ‘notebook' pages that follow describe and illustrate habitats, breeding and feeding behaviour and flight patterns."

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Birds New to Britain and Ireland: 1600-1999

Philip Palmer

Illustrations: Dan Powell

Arlequin

2000

A guide to nearly 350 species that have been recorded in Britain for the first time after 1600.

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Ireland

David Cabot

New Naturalist 84

Collins

1999

"David Cabot, an expert in his field, provides a comprehensive view of all the different types of habitat to be found in Ireland, from the peatlands and fens, to the mountains and uplands; from broad-leaved woodland to coastal zones. The book examines the history and ecology of each of these habitats, and describes the rich variety of flora and fauna to be found living there. In "The New Naturalist: Ireland" David Cabot also discusses the issue of nature conservation, addressing the history of the conservation movement in Ireland - its successes and failures - and the needs for the future."

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Ireland's Lost Birds

Gordon D'Arcy

Four Courts Press

1999

"This book is concerned with the disappearance of a number of once-familiar Irish birds. The 12 case studies which make up the core of the book were compiled from a combination of literary and archaeological sources."

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Checklist of the Birds of Ireland

Irish Rare Birds Committee

Irish Wildbird Conservancy

1998

40 page checklist.

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Rare Birds In Britain And Ireland: A Photographic Record

D. Cottridge, K Vinnicombe

Collins

1997

"This text catalogues the events and problems involved in identifying the first and subsequent sightings of the rare birds that have appeared in Britain and Ireland. It brings together information on the weather conditions, the problems involved in seeing each particular bird, who saw it and how many times that species has reappeared and where. This is the information that is of interest to twitchers, as it gives them a unique insight into when the species might reappear, and thus when they should organize their trips."

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Historical Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain & Ireland: 1875-1900

Simon Holloway

Poyser

1996

"An account of the distribution changes of Britain and Ireland's birds over the period 1875 to 1900. Individual species accounts include text and large colour distribution maps."

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Top Birding Spots in Britain and Ireland

David Tipling

Collins

1996

"A guide to over 400 of the best birdwatching spots in Britain and Ireland -- including all RSPB reserves. Each site is described, including details of what you will see in each season, and other attractions in the area."

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Pocket Guide to the Common Birds of Ireland

Eric Dempsey and Michael O'Clery

Gill & Macmillan

1995

"A detailed, compact field guide to the birds most likely to be encountered by ordinary birdwatchers. Beautiful colour plates highlight the important features, while the expert and accessible text explains clearly how to identify the birds: the calls, songs and diet of each species, and the habitat in which each is found. The up-to-date distribution maps enable the range of each species to be judged at a glance. The 'Pocket Guide to the Common Birds of Ireland', presented in an easy-to-follow layout, is perfect for beginner and expert alike, young and old."

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Bird Life in Ireland

Don Conroy and Jim Wilson

O'Brien Press

1994

"Bird Life In Ireland is designed to give the reader a general introduction to birds and birdwatching. It describes the birds you are most likely to see in Ireland, pointing out the special features which help identification, and listing habits and general behaviour. There is a countyby county list of birdwatching sites, with maps, as well as suggested day trips and longer visits to important bird locations."

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Where to Watch Birds: Ireland

Clive Hutchinson

Christopher Helm

1994

" At the Western edge of Europe, with a relatively unspoilt environment and low population, Ireland offers excellent opportunities for the birdwatcher. Its geographical position makes it ideal for observing migratory seabirds, waders and passerine vagrants from America. The island has some of Europe's best known birding "hotspots" including Cape Clear, Loop Head and Hook Head. This guide covers the whole of Ireland under 143 site accounts. These are divided into 62 major sites and 81 other sites worthy of attention. Each major site has at least one detailed map and is covered in detail. The lesser sites are generally less well watched but are areas with potential for interesting birds. Introductory chapters provide a thorough background to Ireland's avifauna and birdwatching in the North and the Republic."

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Ireland's Bird Life: A World of Beauty

Editor: Matt Murphy and Susan Murphy

Photographs: Richard Mills

Sherkin Island Marine Station

1994

"Ireland's Bird Life - A World of Beauty contains photographs from the vast collection of Richard Mills, who is recognised as one of Europe's finest natural history photographers. They will show the great talent of a man who is a craftsman with his camera. This book is not for the expert birdwatcher or photographer and is by no means a complete guide to Irish birds. It is for the many hundreds of thousands who, like us, know little or nothing about these wonderful creatures. It is hoped that the book will encourage many to take up birdwatching as a hobby."

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The Complete Guide to Ireland's Birds

Eric Dempsey and Michael O'Clery

Gill & Macmillan

1993

"This is a guide to every species of bird that has been sighted in Ireland in the 20th century. The main part of the book is devoted to a detailed listing of the 315 most common species which are to be found on a regular basis. There is a supplementary section dealing with the 90 or so less common species - occasional visitors, Atlantic stragglers and other such examples. The book also contains a general introduction to Irish ornithology, offering an overview of the subject which is accessible to the non-specialist."

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Checklist of Birds of Britain and Ireland

Compiler: A. G. Knox

British Ornithologists Union

1992 (revised ed)

"Latest edition of this standard checklist, important because for the first time it includes the new English names suggested for British birds. Systematic list gives family, English and scientific name, races and subspecies, species category and species status. Includes full checklist with room for notes."

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Rare Birds of Britain and Ireland: A Personal Survey of Over 300 Unusual Visitors

David Saunders

Patrick Stephens Ltd

1991

"The author of this book has researched past historical sightings and locations where the watcher is most likely to find a bird not normally seen in the British Isles or ones which may appear on these shores only once in a lifetime. He describes conditions that may give rise to a rare visitor, his personal experiences in spotting rarities and relates anecdotes about past visitors. This is a book for both twitchers and armchair enthusiasts and includes birds such as the Aleutian tern, the Golden-winged warbler, the egret and the long-tailed duck."

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Birds in Ireland

Clive D. Hutchinson

Illustrations: John Busby

Poyser

1989

"Birdwatching has become an increasingly popular pastime in Ireland as elsewhere. Nor is all of the birdwatching done by the Irish. Many professional ornithologists from Britain and Western Europe find good reason to study Ireland's birds, as do the numerous birdwatching visitors each year. Clive Hutchinson, a leading Irish ornithologist, has compiled this comprehensive review of birds in the Republic and Northern Ireland to coincide with the 21st anniversary year of the Irish Wildbird Conservancy's foundation and he has had the IWC's active support throughout. The book is timely for other reasons, too. Knowledge about the status and distribution of birds in Ireland has increased greatly since the 1960s and this is reflected in the detailed species accounts which form the major part of the book. Factors which led to this greater knowledge, recent changes in bird distribution and status, and reasons for the absence of some species are topics discussed in the book's introductory chapters. Other subjects covered are Ireland's topography, climate and habitats, a review of ornithology and ornithologists in Ireland over the last 100 years, and conservation programmes of more recent times."

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Rare Birds in Britain & Ireland

J.N. Dymond, P.A. Fraser, and S.J. Gantlett

Illustrations: Per Alstrom, Clive Byers, Martin Elliott, Robert Gillmor, P.J Grant, Martin Hallam, Alan Harris, Ian Lewington, Richard Millington, R.A Richardson, Craig Robson, D.I.M Wallace, Jan Wilczur, and Ian Willis

Poyser

1989

"A study of more than 300 species of scarce and rare birds that were recorded in Britain and Ireland between 1958 and 1985. Additional rarities from outside this period are also listed. The book succeeds two earlier Poyser publications; Scarce Migrant Birds in Britain and Ireland (Sharrock 1974) and Rare birds in Britain and Ireland (Sharrock 1976)."

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The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain & Ireland

Peter Lack

.Poyser

1986

"A guide to the distribution and status of wintering birds in Britain and Ireland based on surveys carried out during the winters of 1981/82, 1982/83 and 1983/84. The surveys were organised by the British Trust for Ornithology and the Irish Wildbird Conservancy."

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Watching Birds in Ireland

Colin Hutchinson

Town House

1986

144 page guide to birdwatching sites.

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The Shell Guide to the Birds of Britain and Ireland

James Ferguson-Lees, Ian Willis, J.T.R. Sharrock

Michael Joseph

1983

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Birds New to Britain and Ireland

J.T.R. Sharrock and P.J. Grant

Illustrations: Donald Watson

Poyser

1982

Descriptions of 83 species that were recorded in Britain and Ireland for the first time after 1946. The accounts of the sightings were first published in British Birds. Additional information is provided about details of identification and subsequent sightings of the species.

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Estuary Birds of Britain and Ireland

A.J. Prater

Illustrations: John Busby

Poyser

1981

"Estuaries are rightly of great interest and concern to the birdwatcher. Most teem with thousands of waders, geese, ducks, gulls and other species that use them at times throughout the year; they are also among the last of the wild places left in Britain and Europe. The ‘Birds of Estuaries Enquiry' (sponsored by the Nature Conservancy Council and organised by the BTO, RSPB and the Wildfowl Trust) spanned six years, and Tony Prater's report now provides a detailed insight into the birds which use and, in many cases, depend on this special habitat. Of great interest to birdwatchers, the book also will be essential reading for professional conservationists and all involved in the planning and use of estuaries. It assesses the importance of each estuary and the distribution and numbers of all species generally present, and by setting this in an international framework demonstrates the remarkable importance of the estuaries around these islands. Threats to the fabric of the landscape and its wildlife abound, and estuaries are not exempt. Barrage schemes, industrial and agricultural reclamations and many other pressures exist and are the subject of chapters which survey the situation, now and in the future. The text is graced by John Busby's accomplished and evocative drawings and there are numerous maps and diagrams as well as photographs of typical estuaries."

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Ireland's Wetlands And Their Birds

Clive Hutchinson

Irish Wildbird Conservancy

1979

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The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland

J.T.R. Sharrock

Poyser for British Trust for Ornithology and Irish Wildbird Conservancy

1976

The Atlas plots the results of the survey organised by the BTO and the IWC during the yeays 1968-72. Over 250 maps show the distribution of 218 species.

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Rare Birds in Britain & Ireland

J T R Sharrock

Illustrations: Robert Gillmor, P.J Grant, R.A Richardson, D.I.M Wallace and Ian Willis

Poyser

1976

"This book covers 221 species. An updated version of this book (Rare Birds in Britain and Ireland: J.N. Dymond, P.A. Fraser, and S.J. Gantlett) was published by Poyser in 1989."

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A List Of The Birds Of Ireland

Robert F. Ruttledge

Stationery Office

1975

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A Seabirds of Britain and Ireland

Stanley Cramp, W.R.P. Bourne, David Saunders

Illustrations: Robert Gillmor

Collins

1974

Includes four colour plates, line drawings and distribution maps.

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Ireland's Birds

Robert F. Ruttledge

H.F.& G. Witherby Ltd

1966

207 pages.

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A List Of The Birds Of Ireland

P.G. Kennedy

Stationery Office

1961

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Birds Of Ireland

P.G. Kennedy, Robert F. Ruttledge and C.F. Scroope

Assisted by G.R. Humphreys

Oliver & Boyd

1954

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A Natural History of Ireland, A Sketch of Its Flora and Fauna

Robert L. Praeger

Collins

1950

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Birds Of Ireland: An Account Of The Distribution, Migrations And Habits Of Birds As Observed In Ireland, With All Additions To The Irish List

Richard J. Ussher and Robert Warren

Gurney & Jackson

1900

From the preface:

The present volume has been compiled by Irishmen to supply that information about the Birds of their country which has been long and increasingly demanded; and the writers have consequently confined themselves to those facts which have a special connection with Ireland. The distribution of each species within the island is treated as the first branch of the subject, and occupies a large proportion of each article, having been made the primary object. To aid the reader in following the details of distribution two maps have been prepared which contain a novel feature in exhibiting the unreclaimed lands, a division which is important in determining the character of the avifauna, especially as such lands are chiefly tracts of peat. The waters, coloured blue, are also an important feature, and many names of spots referred to in the text, such as those of light-stations, have been inserted. Migration is another subject that has specially engaged attention, and with reference to this the times of arrival and departure given are the results of collected observations made in various parts of Ireland, while the seasonal movements within the country itself have not been neglected.

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The Natural History Of The Birds Of Ireland, Indigenous And Migratory

Containing Descriptions Of The Habits, Migrations, Occurrence, And Economy, Of The 261 Species Comprised In The Fauna

John J. Watters

James McGlashan

1853

From the preface:

For the purpose of making this book as popular and comprehensive as possible, many scientific technicalities have been left out, as tending to confuse the general reader without conferring any additional information, whilst such generic or specific names, essential to the subject, have in every instance their English signification attached. Intended to be within the comprehension of the general reader, it is hoped at the same time to be as available to students, and particularly to persons commencing or pursuing this branch of Natural History: for that purpose many details will be found through the work, recording the occurrence of the rarer visitants to our island, and in every instance specifying the habitat or country they are indigenous to. This arrangement might have been difficult were it not for the assistance afforded by the works of Temminck, Degland, and Schlegel, together with those of other distinguished naturalists, whose information is acknowledged in the text. Mr. Thompson's work has afforded me considerable facility in referring to notices of species which I had previously transmitted to him, which was fortunate, as in many cases I had no copy except what occurred in my correspondence with that gentleman, and which he has so amply acknowledged in his work.
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Last updated October 2013