BTO's Library and Archives hold some of the most important ornithological collections in the UK. With material spanning the 19th Century to the present day, our fascinating and diverse collections are open to everyone.

Photo guides are not everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s no doubt that this is one of the most complete and well-researched out there. Well thought out and structured to assist the reader [...] another one of the top quality bargain books we have come to expect from Princeton's WildGuides series." By Peter Adriaens, Mars Muusse, Philippe J. Dubois and Frédéric Jiguet; Princeton University Press, 2021; reviewed in BBby Brian Small ( Brit. Birds115: 177–178) and for BTO by Fionnuala McCully.

This year, Hazel McCambridge, Maria Farooqi and Jenna Woodford represented BTO on the judging panel, while Paul French, Sarah Harris and Stephen Menzie represented British Birds. When casting their votes, the judges paid particular attention to the ornithological impact of the titles on the shortlist. Of course, ‘ornithological impact’ can be a rather broad concept – but there’s no doubt that this book will have a substantial impact on the world of ornithology. Accordingly, the title was awarded points from all six of the BBBY judges. When discussing thoughts on the title, the term ‘not preachy’ was used on multiple occasions –and that was one of the qualities that drew the judges to this book. The positive stories and practical inspiration for how individual birders can reduce their carbon footprint while engaging in their hobby make this a readable and meaningful title, and the judges felt that this was one of the most important books published in the past 12 months. ByAndy Swash, Rob Hume, Hugh Harrop and Robert Still; WILDGuides, 2021; reviewed in BBby Chris Kehoe ( Brit. Birds115: 55–56) and for BTO by Steve Willis. By Alexander Lees and James Gilroy; Helm, 2022; reviewed in BBby Martin Collinson ( Brit. Birds115: 231–232) and for BTO by Paul Stancliffe.

As a child, my favourite Ladybird books were Garden Birds, Heath and Woodland Birds and Birds of Prey. The author’s illustrations imprinted themselves on my mind so that when I look at them now I have to make an effort to separate feelings of nostalgia from the impulse to formulate a critical or aesthetic response. There’s something charmingly idealised about the way different species all get along as they stand about on the lawn or perch in a bush, and there’s an extraordinary, almost occult power in the way Leigh-Pemberton renders the quality of twilight. The narrow geographical scope of the book (a clifftop local patch in Yorkshire) enhances rather than detracts from the author's dedication and passion. Read BTO's review of Gulls of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East: an identification guide by Fionnuala McCully Edited by Javier Caletrío; Pelagic Publishing, 2022; reviewed in BBby Stephen Menzie ( Brit. Birds115: 745).For the third year in a row, judging for BBBY was held on Zoom, with Paul French, Sarah Harris and Stephen Menzie representing British Birdsand Hazel McCambridge, Maria Scullion and Jenna Woodford representing BTO. Thompson writes novels that combine elements of fable, mystery fiction, fairytale and the uncanny. In The Falconer, a young woman takes a secretarial position in a remote Scottish manor house in the 1930s, determined to find out what happened to her predecessor, her late sister. It’s the dreamlike quality of this novel that places it just ahead of Barry Hines’s A Kestrel for a Knave among my favourite fictions about falconers.

An initial vote from each of the judges determined the shortlist, with 11 of the 45 eligible titles going forward to the second round. The final vote took place in mid December, with the usual lively discussion and debate between the judges before they cast their votes to determine the winning title. It was tight at the top, with just a few points separating the winner from second and third place.

This book about vagrancy - a potentially dense and academic subject - offers something for all birders and ornithologists, from birdwatchers and rarity seekers to conservationists studying habitat loss. As a result of its wide appeal, the judges recognised this title as one of the most useful titles of 2022. Well thought out and structured to assist the reader. . . . another one of the top quality bargain books we have come to expect from Princeton's WildGuides series."—Phil Slade, Another Bird Blog

By Mark Thomas; privately published, 2022; reviewed in BBby Kieran Lawrence ( Brit. Birds115: 744). As Martin Collinson put it in his review of this title, ‘This book makes the case that vagrancy in birds matters.’ Indeed, the judges were impressed by the easily accessible way that this title presented theories on vagrancy – and its importance to a host of ornithological events, from the formation of new migration routes to speciation, as vagrants create new populations on isolated islands that eventually evolve into new species. There is also an impressive amount of research summarised in the family-by-family section, which discusses extralimital records of various species as well as detailing interesting theories and observations on the vagrancy tendencies of birds in the given family. This book offers something for all birders and ornithologists, from rarity hunters to conservationists studying habitat loss, and was, therefore, recognised by the judges as being one of the most useful titles of 2022. Our expert staff regularly review the latest releases relating to ornithology, bird watching and bird science.

This mesmerising account of White’s determination to train a goshawk was part of the inspiration behind Helen Macdonald’s enormously popular H Is for Hawk. Indeed, Macdonald wrote a foreword to a recent reissue of The Goshawk. I take away from it a strong impression of obsession, plus the lesson behind this useful remark: “If you saw a bird … it had already seen you.” An enjoyable read all round, Wild Felltouches on aspects of land management and asks questions that are relevant to nature reserves and wild areas around the country. The judges pointed out that, at a time when rewilding and wildlife-friendly land management are becoming more prevalent, this book offers a view of the situation and its many complexities that we all ought to take note of, regardless of whether we’re a wildlife-sympathetic individual who wants to learn more about the techniques used in land management or an on-the-ground conservationist who wishes to expand their knowledge.