By international standards the hills and mountains of the British Isles are small, with Ben Nevis the highest peak at only 1,345 m. But don't be fooled by their lowly heights, as the uplands of Britain are unique in so many ways; their importance to the country's climate, wildlife, wealth, health and general sense of identity is immense. The uplands cover about half the area of Great Britain, northwest of a rough line from Yorkshire to Devon, they provide 70 per cent of the country's drinking water and the vast upland peat deposits that cover 10 per cent of the country's land are a huge carbon store that help mitigate the effect of global warming. However, it is the birds of the uplands that are the focus of Ian Newton's latest New Naturalist, which begins with introductory chapters mainly concerned with how the upland landscapes were created and describe the bird populations now found there, 142 breeding species in all. Four further sections follow, which cover in detail hill farming, grouse management, deer management and forestry. Grouse, raptors and waders have a special place in the uplands and hence warrant their own chapters. A final chapter deals with the recent ideas of rewilding and the reintroduction of species such as Beaver and Lynx. Once again in Uplands and Birds, Ian Newton demonstrates his mastery of the subject matter at hand, in this beautifully illustrated, authoritative addition to the New Naturalist series.

Book jacket.