This is a completely revised and updated edition of the bestselling RSPB Handbook of British Birds. This unique guide provides a 'biography' of each of the 279 commonest British bird species. It covers all aspects of field identification, using illustrations from the highly acclaimed Handbook of Bird Identification to show all common plumage forms. The text also covers behaviour, breeding biology, population, status, longevity and any other interesting facts about the species concerned. A detailed distribution map is provided for each species. New to the third edition is a rarities section, featuring 24 additional species, and six brand new comparison artwork spreads illustrating difficult to identify species - such as ducks, waders, warblers, raptors and gulls - alongside one another. The RSPB Handbook provides a complete, single source of basic information to our most familiar birds.