The Folklore of Birds: The forgotten tales behind nature's most enigmatic creatures
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Did you know that it's considered a sin to harm a robin? Or that seagulls were once thought to be the souls of dead sailors? And do you know what happens if you listen to a blackbird’s song on May Day?
With The Folklore of Birds you can discover the fascinating folklore behind nature’s most intriguing animals.
At once familiar and unknowable, birds have for centuries provided a rich source of speculation and myth-making. From the Catholic belief that barnacle geese were actually fish (and could therefore be eaten on the Sabbath) to the Ancient Greek tale of Ceyx and Halcyone who were transformed into kingfishers after death as reward for their fidelity, our feathered friends have given rise to an astonishingly rich body of myth, legend and superstition.
With its interesting titbits and curious facts coupled with breathtakingly beautiful illustrations, The Folklore of Birds is charming, quirky gift for the birdwatcher in your life.
International availability - Europe and the United States.
We have resumed some European and US shipping in line with new EU GPSR regulations and recent changes to US tariffs. British Library Publications, including our subscriptions, are now available for order for customers across Europe and the United States.
We will continue rolling out our most popular products to these regions in stages. If you are browsing from Europe or the US, you can now see the products that are available for you to order.
We’re working hard to expand the offering, so the selection you see online will continue to grow as products are cleared for shipping.
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Our deliveries are now carbon neutral.
| Timescale | ||
| UK Standard* | £5.00 | 3 - 5 working days |
Please allow 7 working days from the time you place your order to contact us about undelivered orders.
*does not include custom prints or custom clothing.
Local pick up
Local pick up is free and allows you to buy online and collect your items from our shop in St. Pancras (London) or from Reception in Boston Spa.
London
Orders placed before 3pm will be ready to collect from noon the following day (including weekends). Please ensure you check our opening times before coming to collect.
Boston Spa
Orders placed before 3pm will be ready to collect between 2 - 4 working days, though this is usually quicker.
EU and Europe orders
Due to the new EU Regulation 2023/988 (GPSR), not all of our products will be available for you to order yet, we are working on rolling out a wider product range.
| Order value | Under £25 | £25 - £50 | £50 - £100* | Over £100* | Timescale |
| Airmail | £ 15 | £ 25 | £ 36 | £ 45 | Usually 2 - 4 weeks |
Rest of the World orders
| Order value | Under £25 | £25 - £50 | £50 - £100* | Over £100* | Timescale |
| Airmail | £ 20 | £ 30 | £ 40 | £ 50 | Usually 2 - 4 weeks |
International orders are shipped on a Delivered at Place (DAP) basis. Import duties and taxes are payable by the customer upon delivery. Orders returned due to non-payment of duties will be refunded for the product cost only, less any shipping fees incurred.
For more detailed information click here