You've just seen a small black and white bird, but which species is it? Which bird has a red head and a yellow wing? Birds by Colour helps you to identify almost 200 bird species common to western Europe simply by their shape and colour. Conceived and designed specifically for beginners, this is the first guide to approach identification from birds' most visible characteristics: their colours. No prior knowledge of ornithology is required to use the guide. 184 species have been classified according to the most typical bird shapes. Then groups of species that share physical characteristics and have similar colours are treated together on a spread, illustrated side by side to allow direct comparison. In the second half of the book, each featured bird has its own short field guide entry, including information on their biology, behaviour, habitat and distribution. Each field guide entry is illustrated by a colour photograph and the artworks from the first half of the guide and details the best times and locations for observing the species.