Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris have released an audiobook edition of The Book of Birds, a compendium of 49 bird species under threat in Britain. The work features lyrical prose poems that evoke each bird's unique qualities, accompanied by recordings of their distinctive calls.
The introduction delivers a stark warning about the 'great thinning of the skies', noting that dawns and springs are quieter and the air emptier. It reports that there are now 3 billion fewer birds in North America than 50 years ago, and 5 million fewer in Europe, with almost 50% of bird species in decline worldwide.
Macfarlane narrates the bird entries, describing the avocet as appearing 'blown from glass' at sunset. Morris reads the 'seven wonders of bird' essays, celebrating feathers, nests, beaks and eggs. The audio edition includes sound design by field recordist Chris Watson, known for his work with David Attenborough, who has meticulously recorded each bird's call.
