Since 1972 Mark Cocker has been a member of a community of obsessional people who sacrifice most of their spare time, a good deal of money, sometimes their chances of a family, even occasionally their lives, to watch birds.

Birders is the story of this community, of its characters, its rules, its equipment and its adventures - many of which are hilariously funny. Birders is also a work of love - the story of what birds can do to the human heart.

New Scientist
‘Intensely readable, very funny and highly enlightening’

Bill Oddie
‘At last! An up to date examination of what makes birders tick. And about time too! Wonderfully written’

About the Author
Mark Cocker is the author of three highly praised works of non-fiction. He is one of the regular Country Diarists in the Guardian.