Wow! eBook
The The Vanishing Mew Gull: A Guide to the Bird Names of the Western Palaearctic
Author(s): Ray Reedman (Author)
- Publisher: Pelagic
- Publication Date: July 29, 2026
- Language: English
- Print length: 398 pages
- ISBN-10: 1784276499
- ISBN-13: 9781784276492
Book Description
Good dictionaries of avian names are thin on the ground: most are only partial in coverage, and the majority are word-centric. Hence, British and European birds have long lacked a work that truly wraps the names – both vernacular and scientific – around the birds themselves.
This reference will be appeal to any bird enthusiast, but also to those seeking out the background on particular species or simply trying to make some sense of what can seem like a somewhat confused scenario. Filling a critical gap, it will be a useful tool for any student of ornithology, whatever their level of experience.
Editorial Reviews
Review
…a well-researched reference for professional ornithologists, birders, and listers through to those with only a minor interest. However much one knows, there is bound to be something intriguing.
absolutely spot-on… I very much look forward to losing myself repeatedly and often in its pages.
Be prepared to learn plenty! …The book’s format is pleasantly easy to navigate or to dip in and out of at will. I found it addictive and absorbing.
I believe that this book will remain for many years the must-have reference for anyone wanting to know the etymology of English and Latin bird terms.
I’d suggest that every bird club in the country ought to get a copy of this book… Is it an impressive achievement – yes it is.
It’s full of stuff I knew, and a great deal more that I did not. I know just how many hundreds of hours go into researching this stuff and admire it greatly. The result is accessible, fascinating and very nicely put together. Terrific!
Ray Reedman explains in a fascinating way the origin of both the common names and the scientific names of our Western Palaearctic birds… This is certainly a must-have book for anyone interested in birds.
There is a lot of interesting information in this book, and many Western Palearctic birders will learn much from it.
This book is a must-have for anyone with a serious interest in ornithological etymology!
With so much interest in the nomenclature of birds, Ray Reedman’s latest book provides a timely addition to the genre… a very accessible, informative, and genuinely enjoyable read.
