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Flying high: The birds doing brilliantly in the British Isles right now
Red kites, great spotted woodpeckers and pink-footed geese — these are only a few of the success stories, writes Mark Cocker.
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Power struggles: The countryside should not be viewed as an empty canvas on which to achieve everyone’s aims
Rural Britain is being squeezed from all sides.
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What is everyone talking about this week: Longevity? I think farmers invented that...
The longevity-industrial complex is making trillions recasting time-old ideas as radical breakthroughs. Wait till its enlightened advocates hear about the countryside
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Nature’s symbiotic relationships are as multifarious as they are marvellous
John Lewis-Stempel considers how working in partnership is a key pillar of success in the animal kingdom.
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The winter Olympians of the natural world
Meet the penguins that like to luge and their animals friends that could give any Olympic athlete a run for their money.
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Feathers: Nature’s most exquisite miracle was fashioned for flight, fortitude and fantasy
Avian plumage doesn’t simply enable flight–this miracle of Nature provides birds with protection, shape and colour and remains a highly desirable fashion accoutrement for us, too.
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Britain's most widespread bird is also the most elusive — spotting it is one of ornithology’s great joys
The long-eared owl breeds from Kent to northern Scotland, but is highly nocturnal.
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What is everyone talking about this week: How to make the most of wetter winters
With constant storms throughout January and February, 2026 has confirmed climate science's view that British winters are becoming rainier. The least we can do is embrace this
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The short-eared owl is a breed apart
Fluid in flight and perplexingly wide-ranging, the short-eared owl is a singular figure in the family — and a figure of particular terror to the vole
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Plant trees for pollinators in need with the Woodland Trust
Advertiser Content The Woodland Trust
We can’t live without the industrious insects that pollinate our crops and support our ecosystem. Many of their populations are in decline, but you can help by creating a haven of nectar and nesting sites on your land this planting season.
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Who is your Wildlife Photographer of the Year? Cast your vote now
From a flock of flamingos to a couple of play-fighting bear cubs, there truly are some stunning photographs in the shortlist for this year's People's Choice award.
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'To my unspeakable disgust and pain, the little inconsiderate beast squirted his acid down my throat': The army of animals weaponising chemistry in the fight for survival
Clouds of noxious gas, stink bombs and purple smokescreens may sound like schoolboy pranks, but the animal world is just as capable of executing arresting chemical warfare.
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The world’s heaviest flying bird flaps on to pastures new but remains endangered, says expert
You might think it a great time for the great bustards, who have been found breeding in a new location, but there is a wider problem facing the UK’s ‘big bird’, an expert says.
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'It turns out that coconut charcoal is the best substance on Earth for nullifying astronauts breaking wind': The secret uses of plants
From ice cream to underwear and explosives, plants are remarkably integral to much of the manmade world, a new book shows.
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Snowdrop shows signal spring’s arrival
The annual Shepton Snowdrop Festival will return for its 10th year this February, in celebration of the joyful flower.
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RHS to run two new touring shows at Badminton and at the royal estate at Sandringham
The King will collaborate with a designer on the RHS Royal Legacy Garden at the Sandringham flower show.
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Adders, Exmoor ponies and the future of the human race: Tom Hilder on the Country Life Podcast
Tom Hilder, winner of the 'Rising Star' category at the Schoffel Countryside Awards, joins James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast.
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Going out for a good old fashioned drove
Driving cattle on foot across Scotland, echoing the practices of our forefathers and gaining intimate insight into the animals’ habits, Patrick Laurie discovers that sometimes it really is about the journey as much as the destination.
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'We're not looking to make two dodos. We're looking to make thousands': Bringing the world's most famous bird back to life
Emma Hughes separates fact from fiction in the tale of the dodo.
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Don’t old towns need saving?
Out with the old and in with the new isn't always a good thing, this week's Athena argues.
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The evergreen appeal of winter tree planting
No decision matters more in a garden than where to plant a tree, and winter is the season in which to do so, argues this week's Leader.
