Birdwatch

Nesting neighbours 
Gardens are an increasingly important space for wildlife in the UK and monitoring the birds that use them is revealing all kinds of data that can be used to inform conservation practices. Dave Leech and Hazel McCambridge of the British Trust for Ornithology explain how you can get involved in recording the wildlife that you can see in your garden and why it matters. 

Saving Tanzania’s coastal forests 
Home to variety of endangered and unique species including Southern Ground Hornbill, Secretarybird and Tawny Eagle, the forests of this east African country are under threat. The World Land Trust is launching a campaign to protect this crucial habitat.

Larks ascending 
Small, streaky brown above and pale below, and all sporting crests, Eurasian Skylark, Woodlark and Crested Lark are confusingly similar. The first is widespread in the UK, the second found in eastern and southern England, while the third is a rare vagrant. We provide all the information you need to recognise each.

Lost and found 
Across the planet, poorly known species shrouded in mystery may be known from just one specimen or sighting. Some may never have existed; others could be rediscovered and there are some that already have been. In the first in a new series, starting in Asia, Alex Berryman takes a look at some of these enigmatic birds.

Plus: thought-provoking comment from columnists Dominic Mitchell, Lucy McRobert and Mark Avery, our latest photo challenge, the team at BirdGuides provides round-ups of February’s birding highlights from Britain, Ireland and the wider Western Palearctic, news, views and reviews, and your birding questions answered by our expert panel.