The RSPB eGuide to British Birds is described as an "interactive companion" to The RSPB Handbook of British Birds, widely considered to be one of the best field guides for British wildlife, and a must-have in the twitchers toolkit. What this translates to on the phone is a comprehensive reference to the more than 290 bird species found in Britain and Ireland, with high resolution images, audio (bird song / calls), distribution maps, and detailed text descriptions.

The bird index can be viewed by scientific name or by common name. When looking at the detailed pages you can scroll up and down to see the content, and swipe (left or right) to switch between species. This latter interaction brings to mind flipping through a book, something that is often missing from digital guidebooks.

The apps also allows you to keep track of the birds you've seen by adding them to "My List". Alternatively you can add them to "My Favourites". This element of the app isn't as strong as the content side, and we imagine most serious twitchers will maintain their own paper based list, though the app could provide a useful back up.

The smartphone really is the ideal home for this kind of eGuide app, the combination of easy searching, extra multimedia features, and the always-with-you nature of the mobile phone means it's arguably better than the paper version. The lack of a trial is a real shame, and we would prefer a slightly lower price point, but if you have any interest in British Birds then this app is well worth a look. 

Windows Store description:

The RSPB eGuide to British Birds is an interactive companion to The RSPB Handbook of British Birds – the ideal reference for birdwatchers of all levels of interest and experience. This application has specific features that will enhance your birding experience.

The RSPB eGuide to British Birds app can be downloaded from the Windows Phone Store. The app costs £5.49 / $6.99 / €6.49, no trial is available.