The Wren
A Biography
Published on 25. October 2018
Book
Hardback
208 pages
978-1-910931-93-6 (ISBN)
Description
From the bestselling author of The Robin: A Biography, Stephan Moss:
The wren is a paradox of a bird.
They are Britain's most common bird, with 8.5 million breeding pairs and have by far the loudest song in proportion to their size. They also thrive up and down Britain and Ireland: from the smallest city garden to remote offshore islands, blustery moors to chilly mountains. Yet many people are not sure if they have ever seen a wren. Perhaps because the wren is so tiny, weighing just as much as two A4 sheets of paper, and so busy, always on the move, more mouse than bird.
However if we cast our eyes back to recent history wrens were a mainstay of literary, cultural and popular history. The wren was on postage stamps and the farthing, it featured in nursery rhymes and greetings cards, poems and rural 'wren hunts', still a recent memory in Ireland particularly.
With beautiful illustrations throughout, this captivating year-in-the-life biography reveals the hidden secrets of this fascinating bird that lives right on our doorstep.
The wren is a paradox of a bird.
They are Britain's most common bird, with 8.5 million breeding pairs and have by far the loudest song in proportion to their size. They also thrive up and down Britain and Ireland: from the smallest city garden to remote offshore islands, blustery moors to chilly mountains. Yet many people are not sure if they have ever seen a wren. Perhaps because the wren is so tiny, weighing just as much as two A4 sheets of paper, and so busy, always on the move, more mouse than bird.
However if we cast our eyes back to recent history wrens were a mainstay of literary, cultural and popular history. The wren was on postage stamps and the farthing, it featured in nursery rhymes and greetings cards, poems and rural 'wren hunts', still a recent memory in Ireland particularly.
With beautiful illustrations throughout, this captivating year-in-the-life biography reveals the hidden secrets of this fascinating bird that lives right on our doorstep.
Reviews / Votes
An enjoyable and constantly informative read -- Rob Hume * Birdwatch * [A] sweetly illustrated book packed with information and insights... A little bird tells me that this is a winner * Saga * [A] wide-ranging, absorbing account... [Stephen Moss] narrows focus on one tiny bird yet still manages to offer a wealth of stories from the past, anecdotes and literary allusions * Daily Mail * A remarkably good, beautifully written and absolutely fascinating little book. Every birder...should read it, enjoy it and learn from it * British Birds * This fascinating biography . . . A perfect Christmas present for any birder * Birdwatching *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Vintage Publishing
Dimensions
Height: 205 mm
Width: 136 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
460 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-910931-93-6 (9781910931936)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Stephen Moss is a naturalist, author and broadcaster. In a distinguished career at the BBC Natural History Unit his credits included Springwatch, Birds Britannia and The Nature of Britain. His books include The Owl, The Wren, The Robin, The Twelve Birds of Christmas, The Swallow and The Swan. He is the outgoing President of the Somerset Wildlife Trust and a Visting Research Fellow at Bath Spa University. Originally from London, he now lives with his wife and children on the Somerset Levels.