Jackie Morris and Robert Macfarlane have reunited to create a new book celebrating Britain's declining and endangered birds. The artist and writer previously collaborated on The Lost Words, a project that became a cultural phenomenon after it restored names of plants and animals removed from the Oxford Junior Dictionary.
The original book succeeded through grassroots crowdfunding, reaching more than three-quarters of UK primary schools. Now Morris and Macfarlane aim to open young people's eyes to the wonder of native bird species facing population collapse.
The Guardian obtained exclusive extracts from the forthcoming work. The project responds to documented declines in British bird populations, with many species becoming rarer or harder to spot for children growing up today. By pairing illustrated artwork with evocative writing, the duo hopes to reconnect young readers with species like adders and other animals that have disappeared from common childhood experience.
The partnership demonstrates how cultural projects can address environmental loss by making nature tangible and memorable for new generations. Rather than presenting statistics about extinction, Morris and Macfarlane use language and art to restore emotional connection to wildlife.