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''British Birds'' is a monthly
ornithology Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the "methodological study and consequent knowledge of birds with all that relates to them." Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and th ...
magazine that was established in 1907. It is now published by BB 2000 Ltd, which is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust (registered charity number 1089422),Charity Commission register entry
/ref> established for the benefit of British ornithology. Its circulation in 2000 was 5,250 copies; its circulation peaked at 11,000 in the late 1980s. The current editor is Stephen Menzie. ''British Birds'' is aimed at serious
birdwatchers Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...
and ornithologists, rather than the more casual birdwatchers catered for by some other magazines on the subject. It publishes the findings of the British Birds Rarities Committee. Its mascot, and later logo, the
red grouse The red grouse (''Lagopus lagopus scotica'') is a medium-sized bird of the grouse family which is found in heather moorland in Great Britain and Ireland. It is usually classified as a subspecies of the willow ptarmigan but is sometimes consid ...
, was chosen because at the time it was thought to be an
endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...
British species (although it is now considered a subspecies of the willow grouse). In 1916, ''British Birds'' magazine absorbed '' The Zoologist'', due to the latter's shortage of subscribers.


Editors

The current editor of ''British Birds'' is Stephen Menzie. Former editors: * starting with volume 1 (1907): H.F. Witherby, assisted by W.P. Pycraft (until vol. 3) * from volume 3 (1909), Witherby was further assisted by the Rev. F.C.R. Jourdain and Norman F. Ticehurst * in volume 12 (1918), for one year, Jourdain was the editor, assisted by Ticehurst * from volume 13 (1919) Witherby was back as the editor; this situation continued until volume 33 (1939), when Jourdain died. * from volume 34 (1940) Bernard W. Tucker became assistant-editor


Numbering

Before 1946, all volumes ran from June to May. Harry Witherby produced Vol.1 No.1 in June 1907 and produced 12 monthly issues per volume. It was finally decided to change with Volume 38, which ran from June 1944 to December 1945. Wartime paper restrictions meant that those issues were all pretty thin so it was possible to bind 19 into one volume.


The digital era

In 2007 a DVD-ROM disk containing the first 100 years' worth of content (volumes 1–100) was released in conjunction with BirdGuides Ltd. Subsequent volumes are available as paid-for updates. In 2010, the magazine launched a
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,
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and a
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account. From October 2011, the magazine's first 100 years' of back issues are available on-line, free. More recent issues are available to subscribers to the print edition.


See also

*
List of ornithology journals The following is a list of journals and magazines relating to birding and ornithology. The continent and country columns give the location where the journal or magazine is published and may not correspond with its scope or content. See also ...


References


External links

*
Issues from 1907–1923
on the
Biodiversity Heritage Library The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) is the world’s largest open access digital library for biodiversity literature and archives. BHL operates as worldwide consortiumof natural history, botanical, research, and national libraries working toge ...
1907 establishments in the United Kingdom Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom English-language magazines Journals and magazines relating to birding and ornithology Magazines established in 1907 Ornithology in the United Kingdom Wildlife magazines {{zoo-journal-stub