Sporting Birds of Britain & Ireland

David & Charles, revised edition, 1992. Cloth, 4to,. 256 pp, plates, ills. From the blurb: "As bird shooters and conservationists strive to work closer together and environmental pressures mount, there has never been a greater need for a book detailing the natural history and status of our quarry species. Now fully revised and updated to include the latest trends and population figures, Sporting Birds of Britain & Ireland fills that gap. Already a classic in its field, this comprehensive work won Brian Martin the prestigious Prix Liitteraire of the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation. The author, a lifelong shooter and conservationist, has used his wide experience to produce this invaluable work. His thirty three detailed accounts of those species still shot cover range and distribution, history and conservation, population, habitat, identification, food and feeding habits, general behaviour (with special regard to sport), breeding, migration and movements, voice, the shooting seasons and cooking the bag. They cover all the gamebirds as well as geese, ducks and waders, and the 'pest' species such as the woodpigeon, feral pigeon, collared dove and the crow family. In addition, there is important information detailing which organisations the sportsman should join, temporary and regional restrictions affecting shooting, sporting custom and etiquette, and a detailed introduction which emphasises the shooter's national and international responsibility in helping to safeguard bird populations. With so many pressures on modern sport, correct identification of quarry is imperative, and with this in mind the book includes sixteen superb, specially commissioned colour plates by Britain's top sporting bird artist, Rodger McPhail. These show both male and female in winter plumage and juveniles where appropriate. In addition, there are useful flight silhouettes, line drawings and many excellent black-and-white photographs. Distribution maps for every species are based on material supplied by the British Trust for Ornithology and show main migration routes as well as population density. This important book is both an invaluable reference for the spotting shooter and conservationist and a joy to own for the beauty of its paintings. Top fore-edge corners slightly bumped, top and bottom edges sunned, otherwise Very Good in Very Good dustwrapper.