More has been written about the barn owl than possibly any other species of bird. Such fascination has fuelled a succession of monographs, this book being at least the second to be published in a year. The Barn Owl, however, stands out from the rest because of its specially commissioned photographs which are outstanding.

You may wonder, as I did, how some of the pictures were taken. The last chapter answers some of those questions through an interview with Read, the photographer.

The text contains little information that is new, but it does give an insight into the daily life of the barn owl. This is enriched by the many anecdotal accounts taken directly from the studies of both authors.

The Barn Owl covers conservation issues such as the value of schemes to reintroduce the barn owl to areas where it has disappeared. The book also considers modern farming methods and how they have affected the wellbeing of the barn owl, the latter in a way that gives a balanced view between farmer and conservationist.

If, like me, you have a passion for barn owls, I doubt that you will learn very much that is new from this book, but you will certainly be entertained. But for new fans, Read and Allsop’s The Barn Owl is a good introduction to one of ours most enigmatic birds.

A single barn owl can survive on six small mammals a day. But for it
to breed successfully, the grassland it hunts must deliver between 20 to
30 small mammals. With dramatic changes in agriculture over the past 50
years, such prey-rich grasslands have become a rarity. Hard winters have
also shrunk the population in Britain.

In an attempt to reverse this decline, reintroduction programmes were
conceived, but these have proved contentious as to their worth. Following
an inquiry by the Department of the Environment, reintroduction is now controlled
as part of licensed schemes or by licensed operators. At least reintroduction
will be made only in areas where the root cause for the bird’s initial disappearance
or absence has been identified and put right.

This monograph is the fifth in an attractive and readable series. In
the past, bird monographs have often been heavy going. Not so with this
volume: colour photographs and delightful paintings by Hilary Burn make
this a pleasure to pick up. The author has transformed a mass of facts and
observation, much emanating from his own research, into a fascinating account
of the life of one of our most enigmatic of birds.

Bird populations are in a constant state of flux, some increasing, others
decreasing, with relatively few remaining static. The New Atlas of Breeding
Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1988-1991 shows just how well (or how badly)
birds are coping with the late 20th century, the information coming from
hundreds of thousands of hours of field work undertaken by an army of amateur
ornithologists.

The original Atlas, which was based on field work carried out between
1968 and 1972, simply published maps showing breeding distribution. Similar
maps appear in this new work, but they are overshadowed by the innovative
colour-coded maps showing the numbers of birds. These enable the reader
to see at a glance how bird numbers vary from region to region. For example,
the distribution map shows that the lapwing breeds throughout much of England,
but the abundance map reveals that this species is far more common in the
north, and scarce or absent in much of the south. A third map is also included,
showing changes in distribution since the earlier atlas.

All but the rarest species are given a double-page spread, with the
maps accompanied by a concise and authoritative text, contributed by a variety
of authors. The attractive line drawings for each species not only add
life to the page, but give a visual identity for readers unfamiliar with
the bird.

Each species account begins with a brief introduction, before examining
the findings of the atlas survey. For most species an estimate of breeding
numbers is also given, although for many birds this amounts to no more than
educated guesswork. The gannet is an exception to the general rule because
its habit of always nesting in colonies allows its population to be counted
accurately.

The New Atlas of Breeding Birds shows a marked increase in gannet numbers
since 1970, with a 33 per cent increase in the population. There are now
186 596 occupied nests, which hold about 70 per cent of the world population.
Five new gannet colonies have also appeared since the previous atlas, and
there are now 21 in the British Isles. The increase is probably due to favourable
feeding conditions in recent years, coupled with a lack of persecution.

In contrast, the barn owl is a much more difficult species to count.
Once a familiar bird to every country dweller, pesticides, destruction of
habitat, fluctuation in climate and a decline in available prey have all
contributed to its decline. Barn owl populations do rise and fall in cycle
with vole populations and, being largely nocturnal, there may also be appreciable
numbers going unrecorded. However, the population appears to have fallen
by 43 per cent since the first atlas, and a similar decline has been reported
in many other European countries.

The new atlas shows that there have been as many winners as losers in
the past two decades, with nearly all diurnal birds of prey increasing in
numbers, but the great majority of farmland birds declining sharply. Introduced
species are also thriving, with ring-necked parakeets, ruddy ducks and Egyptian
geese all expanding their ranges.

In the foreword, HRH Prince Philip highlights the importance of accurate
and reliable information when assessing the impact of people in the environment.
This book provides just that; the British Trust for Ornithology, Scottish
Ornithologists’ Club and the Irish Wildbird Conservancy are to be congratulated
for producing what has already been described as the most important work
on British birds this century. Never before has such detailed information
on the distribution and abundance of our birds been available.

This is a landmark in ornithological history and a vital resource, to
be used by British bird watchers and those fighting for their conservation.
The fact that this is also a handsome volume which is a delight to browse
through is an added bonus.

David Tipling photographs and writes about birds.