To See Every Bird on Earth
by Dan Koeppel
Michael Joseph £14.99, pp278

When Dan Koeppel's father, Richard, was a boy, more than 8,600 species of bird on Earth had been recorded. Although Richard's dream of becoming an ornithologist was opposed by his Viennese-Jewish parents who fled to America when Hitler came to power, the budding young ornithologist continued to build his 'list' throughout his life. When his marriage collapsed, he found solace in his pursuit, considering the counting and listing of birds as the only thing in his life he had any control over.

Dan Koeppel's idealisation of his father is evident and although he cannot muster the same enthusiasm for avian life, the bonds between father and son are cemented when Richard decides to increase his list with Dan's help. Over a number of years, thousands of miles and 60 countries, Richard achieves a staggering 7,200 sightings, only stopping when illness prevents him from travelling. What the author has succeeded in conveying is that birdwatching is not just a sport but a way of life. The intimate portrait he draws of his father is moving, the insight into a community obsessed with the thrill of the chase an enlightening one.