‘The crossbill is a bonny bird



An she sings wi a guid Scots tongue



Jip-jip-jip



A’ll gie ye gip



Gin ye meddle wi me nor ma young’



As a result of his travels across the North American continent in the eighteenth century Alexander Wilson pioneered the science of ornithological writing and illustration, becoming an inspiration for most of the ornithological works which followed.



This new book celebrates the artwork of Alexander Wilson by reproducing his illustrations alongside new poems in Scots by Hamish MacDonald, looking at the habits, habitats, and characteristics of birds.

Illustrated by: Alexander Wilson
Introduction by: Paul Walton