Part aspirational encyclopedia, part identification guide, 100 Birds to See in Your Lifetime provides detailed summary information and range maps, along with beautifully written profiles featuring unusual facts, anecdotes and its significance.

Whilst many of the species would be on any bird enthusiast's wish list, the list has been fiercely debated by two renowned birding authors, using various criteria to arrive at a top 100. Some species are endangered and therefore a must to see and conserve; others are quite common but have a particular plumage or behaviour that makes them exceptional; and others have a legendary status amongst birdwatchers and the layman, such as the dancing Red-crowned Cranes and the spectacular Gyr Falcon.