The Life-Affirming Magic of Birds

and the extraordinary things they can teach us

Charlie Bingham

• Publisher: Aurum
• Year: 2025
• Print ISBN: 9781836002260, 9781836002253
• eBook ISBN: 9781836002277
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Zoology
• Index: Biological Sciences

Praise for The Life-Affirming Magic of Birds

‘This deeply personal book is a delight for those who already value our feathered friends and is a perfect introduction for those who are new to birding.’ CAROLINE QUENTIN – ACTOR, AUTHOR & PRESENTER

'Moving, informative, funning, evocative. Charlie's book will take you on a wonderful journey through the world of birds and the stories of those that live alongside them. Through her stories, you will be inspired to embark on your own journey and make a deeper connection with the natural world around you. An utter delight from start to finish.' MIRANDA KRESTOVNIKOFF – RSPB VICE PRESIDENT, BROADCASTER & AUTHOR

‘A beautifully written book that connects us to beauty and curiosity. It will fill your mind and make your heart sing like a nightingale.’ ROBIN INCE – COMEDIAN, WRITER & BROADCASTER

‘It reads as the instructions for a nature prescription, something the world needs more of.’ NICK BAKER – NATURALIST & TV PRESENTER

‘A fresh, funny and deeply personal take on why birds matter, from an important new voice in nature writing.’ DR STEPHEN MOSS – NATURALIST & BESTSELLING AUTHOR 

This is a book that will make you look up. 

Whether it’s a brief encounter with a friendly robin or a curious wood pigeon perched on your windowsill, everyone has a bird story. Join nature and wildlife enthusiast Charlie Bingham as she travels the length and breadth of the UK, searching for oystercatchers on rooftops and peregrines on cathedral spires. Get inspired to look up and become part of the awe-inspiring world that exists above us. 

In The Life-Affirming Magic of Birds,writer and conservationist Charlie Bingham opens your eyes to the fascinating and diverse world of birds and nature. Have you ever heard an unfamiliar birdsong and asked yourself where it came from? Or felt inspired by the stoicism of trees in difficult times? If so, then this is the book for you. Join Charlie on this essential journey of discovery, and learn how nature can offer a way to engage with your surroundings for anyone who wants to experience it. 

In this beautiful, captivating book, you’ll discover an alternative way to appreciate nature. Through twelve insightful lessons, you’ll see the power that nature has to help us through turbulent times. If you’ve ever struggled to find motivation to get through the daily grind, this book reveals how birds—and the simple act of noticing nature—can guide us through even the most challenging moments.  

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Contents
• Introduction
• 1 Oystercatcher
• 2 Swift
• 3 Starling
• 4 Peregrine
• 5 Swallow
• 6 Gannet
• 7 Herring Gull
• 8 Curlew
• 9 Goose
• 10 Rook
• 11 Parakeet
• 12 Pigeon
• Special thanks to
• Dedication
• Copyright