Did you know that an extraordinary six million mallard ducks have been banded? And that an even more extraordinary one million of those have been recovered? Or that the female of a species, not the male, usually chooses a mate? Or that birds are hardly "bird-brained" but actually quite smart?

This friendly, fact-filled browser is perfect for birders, bird enthusiasts, students and the curious. Accurate, comprehensive and fun to read, the author's answers reveal a compelling world of feathers, beaks, flight, mating, nesting, migration, sleep, song and much, much more. Bird expert Stephen Moss responds to 450 queries submitted by birders, beginners and experts alike.