A NEW book on the birds and other wildlife of the UK Overseas Territories has just been published, largely thanks to the endeavours of a former Lincolnshire birder.
Birds of The Overseas Territories is edited by Roger Riddington who grew up in Alford but later worked as a warden on Fair Isle and now lives in the Shetlands.
He worked on the project during interludes from his main job as editor of British Birds - a post from which will soon be stepping down.
Most of the overseas territories are small islands, or island complexes, occurring from the Caribbean to the furthest reaches of the South Atlantic via the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
In terms of global biodiversity, their importance cannot be overestimated.
Their habitats range from coral atolls through mangroves and dry forests to the ice sheets of Antarctica, and they support at least 45 species of birds currently considered to be globally threatened.
The territories are also home to a third of all the world's breeding albatrosses, and nine of the world's 17 species of penguin.
The various chapters have been written by individual authors, and Roger has linked the contributions in such a way that there is a coherent theme.
Birds of The Overseas Territories is published by T.D. Poyser at £35.
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