What Makes a Bird?

An Illustrated Guide to the Bird World

By Nadeem Perera & Montse Galbany

Reviewed by Mia Macrossan

   

This is a glorious introduction to the world of birds, chockful of information presented in accessible nuggets of information and illustrated with a marvellous use of colour.

We start with What Makes a bird? Well, they all have wings (whether or not they use them for flight), and they all have beaks, feathers and two legs. After that they come in all sorts of combinations and permutations. The information is arranged into  four main sections: What Makes a Bird –  evolution, flight, birdsong, plumage, beaks and bills;  Where Do Birds Live – oceans, mountains, woodland, deserts etc; What Do Birds Do – mating, eating, nesting, navigating;  and Becoming a Birder – starting, identifying, and more. There are also four Fact Files, one each on feathers, eyes, navigation and nests which focus a little deeper on each topic.

   

The text is informative and straigtforward, as of one enthusiast talking to another, with information  arranged in short paragraphs in an attractive readable font. This may seem obvious but I have seen a few information books made illegible by quirky layout and design. This one uses bold typeface sparingly but with effect. Each double page spread has a different design suiting the needs of the topic. A standout is the bold and brilliant use of colour throughout.

Nadeem Perera is wildlife TV presenter and co-founder of the birdwatching collective Flock Together, while Montse Galbany is a Spanish illustrator and graphic designer. Together they have created a book that will inspire and encourage young readers to engage with the world of birds, no matter where they live.

For readers 5+

Recommended for school and home libraries.

Flying Eye Books 2026

Nadeem Perera

Montse Galbany