The Secret Life of Birds

Travelling from wild coastlines to urban habitats, this fascinating BBC natural history series follows host and wildlife expert Iolo Williams as he explores the behaviour of birds. This ground breaking series reveals every aspect of their lives from surviving harsh winters to avoiding deadly predators. As the series begins, Iolo investigates how and why birds communicate, looking at the reasons why the snipe uses its tail feathers to make a very distinctive noise and why thousands of starlings participate in stunning aerial displays. He studies the breeding and nesting behaviour of birds, including the amazing courtship displays of great crested grebes, the impressive sky dance of hen harriers and how nuthatches use mud like cement to prepare their nests. He finds out where house martins nested before they used buildings and looks at the sheer variety of places birds like to nest, from little ringed plovers on shingle river banks to the underground lives of puffins. Iolo goes on to explore the survival challenges that birds encounter which includes a dramatic scene in which a sparrow hawk seizes the moment to attack a wood pigeon’s nest. He reveals how birds have adapted to living alongside humans, making use of buildings, parks and gardens and even the waste we throw away, explaining how one of the most notorious urban birds, the gull, thrives so well in these areas. Finally, Iolo explores bird design – their ability to fly, the way their beaks are designed, and how their colour and camouflage enables them to live in many different habitats. Using ultra-slow motion photography, Iolo looks at how garden birds exercise control over their take offs and landings and explains why fulmars are one of the most supreme fliers. Offering a visual treat of stunning landscapes and captivating wildlife behaviour,