
Collins British Bird Identifier
Easily Name All Species Using Only 5 Features with the 5 Id Method
William Collins (Publisher)
Published on 23. April 2026
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-0-00-850807-4 (ISBN)
Description
Collins British Bird Identifier is a revolution in bird identification. It brings together exceptional new artwork, with a unique, practical and comprehensive guide to the 5 essential features needed to identify every species of British bird.
A new approach to bird identification, detailing five unique features that will definitively identify every species of British bird. The Collins British Bird Identifier is an essential field guide for beginners, experts and photographers. Each species is 'coded' as common, scarce or rare with coloured dots to denote seasonality. Illustrations are arranged so that confusion species are together with only five features needed to clinch ID. The author, Paul Stancliffe, has synthesised his 50 years of note-taking to bring experienced birdwatchers a memory jogger and provides a fresh strategy for those new to birdwatching. Jeff Baker's stunning artwork brings these birds to life, using his own extensive experience in their depiction.
The definitive guide to the 5 features that identify every species of bird
Covers every species of bird seen in the UK
Easy to use for the beginner, a memory jogger for experts
Allows everyone to identify birds quickly
A checklist of what you should be looking for
Simple code for common or rare species
Colour code from when most likely to be seen
Works as a stand alone book, or as a companion volume to your field guide
A new approach to bird identification, detailing five unique features that will definitively identify every species of British bird. The Collins British Bird Identifier is an essential field guide for beginners, experts and photographers. Each species is 'coded' as common, scarce or rare with coloured dots to denote seasonality. Illustrations are arranged so that confusion species are together with only five features needed to clinch ID. The author, Paul Stancliffe, has synthesised his 50 years of note-taking to bring experienced birdwatchers a memory jogger and provides a fresh strategy for those new to birdwatching. Jeff Baker's stunning artwork brings these birds to life, using his own extensive experience in their depiction.
The definitive guide to the 5 features that identify every species of bird
Covers every species of bird seen in the UK
Easy to use for the beginner, a memory jogger for experts
Allows everyone to identify birds quickly
A checklist of what you should be looking for
Simple code for common or rare species
Colour code from when most likely to be seen
Works as a stand alone book, or as a companion volume to your field guide
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers
Dimensions
Height: 200 mm
Width: 139 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
492 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-00-850807-4 (9780008508074)
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

Paul Stancliffe | Jeff Baker
Collins British Bird Identifier
Easy Naming of All Species Using Only Five Features
E-Book
04/2026
William Collins
€13.99
Available for download
Persons
Paul Stancliffe is one the UK's leading birdwatchers. His skills have been put to good use at the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) where he helped develop their identification courses. Jeff Baker has illustrated a number of acclaimed books. He is also Marketing Director at the BTO.