Often painted as a thief and a troublemaker, the magpie’s high intelligence and shimmering beauty are shadowed by misunderstanding and ancient fears

Beavers and red kites may be flourishing in Britain, but the reintroduction of apex predators here is a trickier issue. Could there be practical and philosophical benefits and would a trial release of lynx be a worthwhile experiment?

My sky is never empty. At dawn there may be just a lone crow beating a steady path north, or at dusk, the curiously undulating, huge wings of a heron heading to roost in a willow above the ditch. Duck

One of Europe’s most eye-catching birds has bred in the UK for the first time in almost three decades. A pair of hoopoes – famous for their salmon-pink bodies, bold black-and-white wings and showy cre

In the heart of South America, the world’s most powerful eagle perches high in a tree on the fringe of remnant rainforest. Female harpy eagles like this individual can weigh up to 9kg. “These birds ar

DOMINIC COUZENS ON THE...