Dr
Stephen Moss
- Senior Lecturer and Course Leader, MA Nature and Travel Writing
- Email: s.moss@bathspa.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0)1278 641283
- Mobile: +44 (0)771 252 8179
- School: School of Writing, Publishing and the Humanities
- Campus: Corsham Court
- Website:

Personal statement
Stephen is a Senior Lecturer and Course Leader in our MA Nature and Travel Writing (low residency MA). He also teaches on our MA Creative Writing course.
Stephen's main focus is on developing students’ writing and observational skills, assisting them in getting their work published in a range of media.
Has written more than thirty non-fiction books on birds and wildlife. He is also a regular contributor to newspapers (such as the Guardian and the Mail) and magazines (such as BBC Wildlife). He was shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Outdoor Writing in 2017.
He is currently a special visiting Professor at the University of Nottingham.
Academic qualifications
- MA (Hons), English Literature - University of Cambridge
Professional qualifications
- Fellow - Higher Education Academy
Other external roles
- Author
- Journalist
- Public speaker
- Wildlife tour leader
Areas of expertise
- Natural history
- Television production
- Writing (books, journalism)
Impact
Stephen has had numerous appearances on TV and Radio, including Breakfast News (BBC1), Today (Radio 4), Jeremy Vine, Chris Evans, and Steve Wright (Radio 2).
Research supervision
Stephen is interested in supervising students in nature writing and other wildlife and culture related subjects.
Research and academic outputs
Ten birds that changed the world
book
Moss, S (2023) Ten birds that changed the world. Faber, London. ISBN 9781783352418
The swan: a biography
book
Moss, S (2021) The swan: a biography. Square Peg, London. ISBN 9781529110371
Skylarks with Rosie: a Somerset spring
book
Moss, S (2021) Skylarks with Rosie: a Somerset spring. Saraband, Salford. ISBN 9781913393045
The swallow: a biography
book
Moss, S (2020) The swallow: a biography. Square Peg, London. ISBN 9781529110265
The accidental countryside: hidden havens for Britain's wildlife
book
Moss, S (2020) The accidental countryside: hidden havens for Britain's wildlife. Faber, London. ISBN 9781783351640
The twelve birds of Christmas
book
Moss, S (2019) The twelve birds of Christmas. Square Peg, London. ISBN 9781529110104
Dynasties: the rise and fall of animal families
book
Moss, S (2018) Dynasties: the rise and fall of animal families. BBC Books, London. ISBN 9781785943010
The wren: a biography
book
Moss, S (2018) The wren: a biography. Square Peg, London. ISBN 9781910931936
Mrs Moreau's warbler: how birds got their names
book
Moss, S (2018) Mrs Moreau's warbler: how birds got their names. Guardian Faber, London. ISBN 9781783350902
The robin: a biography
book
Moss, S (2017) The robin: a biography. Square Peg, London. ISBN 9781910931318
Wonderland: a year of Britain's wildlife, day by day
book
Westwood, B and Moss, S (2017) Wonderland: a year of Britain's wildlife, day by day. John Murray, London. ISBN 9781473609242
Planet Earth II : a new world revealed
book
Moss, S (2016) Planet Earth II : a new world revealed. BBC Books, London. ISBN 9781849909655
Do birds have knees? All your bird questions answered
book
Moss, S (2016) Do birds have knees? All your bird questions answered. Bloomsbury, London. ISBN 9781472932358
Highlands: Scotland's wild heart
book
Moss, S and Campbell, L (2016) Highlands: Scotland's wild heart. Bloomsbury, London. ISBN 9781472919007
Wild kingdom: bringing back Britain's wildlife
book
Moss, S (2016) Wild kingdom: bringing back Britain's wildlife. Square Peg, London. ISBN 9780224095655
Natural histories: 25 extraordinary species that have changed our world
book
Westwood, B and Moss, S (2015) Natural histories: 25 extraordinary species that have changed our world. John Murray, London. ISBN 9781473617018
Tweet of the day: a year of Britain’s birds from the acclaimed Radio 4 series
book
Westwood, B and Moss, S (2014) Tweet of the day: a year of Britain’s birds from the acclaimed Radio 4 series. Saltyard, London. ISBN 9781848549777
The great British year: wildlife through the seasons
book
Moss, S (2013) The great British year: wildlife through the seasons. Quercus, London. ISBN 9781780877105
The hedgerows heaped with May: the Telegraph book of the countryside
book
Moss, S, ed. (2012) The hedgerows heaped with May: the Telegraph book of the countryside. Aurum, London. ISBN 9781845138431
Wild hares and hummingbirds: the natural history of an English village
book
Moss, S (2012) Wild hares and hummingbirds: the natural history of an English village. Vintage, London. ISBN 9780099552468
BBC Springwatch: British wildlife
book
Moss, S (2012) BBC Springwatch: British wildlife. Collins, London. ISBN 9780007462865
Birds Britannia: why the British fell in love with birds
book
Moss, S (2011) Birds Britannia: why the British fell in love with birds. HarperCollins, London. ISBN 9780007413447
The bumper book of nature
book
Moss, S (2009) The bumper book of nature. Square Peg, London. ISBN 9780224086165
A sky full of starlings: a diary of a birding year
book
Moss, S (2008) A sky full of starlings: a diary of a birding year. Aurum Press, London. ISBN 9781845133535
The birder's companion
book
Moss, S (2007) The birder's companion. Firefly Books, Richmond Hill, Canada. ISBN 9781554072125
The private life of birds
book
Moss, S (2006) The private life of birds. New Holland, London. ISBN 9781845374228
This birding life: the best of The Guardian's "Birdwatch"
book
Moss, S (2006) This birding life: the best of The Guardian's "Birdwatch". Aurum Press, London. ISBN 9781845131807
Everything you wanted to know about birds… but were afraid to ask!
book
Moss, S (2005) Everything you wanted to know about birds… but were afraid to ask! Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 9780713668155
Bill Oddie's how to watch wildlife
book
Oddie, B, Moss, S and Pitcher, F (2005) Bill Oddie's how to watch wildlife. Collins, London. ISBN 9780007184552
A bird in the bush: a social history of birdwatching
book
Moss, S (2004) A bird in the bush: a social history of birdwatching. Aurum Press, London. ISBN 9781854109934
Garden birds
book
Moss, S (2004) Garden birds. Collins gem . HarperCollins, London. ISBN 9780007176144
Understanding bird behavior
book
Moss, S (2003) Understanding bird behavior. New Holland, London. ISBN 9781843301516
Blokes and birds
book
Moss, S, ed. (2003) Blokes and birds. New Holland Publishers, London, UK. ISBN 9781843304845
The garden bird handbook: how to attract, identify and watch the birds in your garden
book
Moss, S (2003) The garden bird handbook: how to attract, identify and watch the birds in your garden. New Holland, London. ISBN 9781843301240
Bird boxes and feeders: featuring 11 step-by-step woodworking projects
book
Moss, S, Bridgewater, A and Bridgewater, J (2001) Bird boxes and feeders: featuring 11 step-by-step woodworking projects. New Holland, London. ISBN 9781859741757
Gardening for birds: how to help birds make the most of your garden
book
Moss, S (2000) Gardening for birds: how to help birds make the most of your garden. Collins, London. ISBN 9780007123179
Attracting birds to your garden
book
Moss, S and Cottridge, D (1998) Attracting birds to your garden. New Holland, London. ISBN 9781853685699
Birding with Bill Oddie
book
Oddie, B and Moss, S (1997) Birding with Bill Oddie. BBC Books, London. ISBN 9780563387480
The complete garden bird book: how to identify and attract birds to your garden
book
Golley, M and Moss, S (1996) The complete garden bird book: how to identify and attract birds to your garden. New Holland, London. ISBN 9781843300359
Birds and weather: a birdwatchers' guide
book
Moss, S (1995) Birds and weather: a birdwatchers' guide. Hamlyn, London. ISBN 9780600586791
BBC weather watch
book
Moss, S and Simons, P (1992) BBC weather watch. BBC Books, London. ISBN 9780563364863
‘Writing in the field’: the importance of a local patch
book_section
Moss, S (2020) '‘Writing in the field’: the importance of a local patch.' In: Burt, T and Thompson, D, eds. Curious about nature: a passion for fieldwork. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 275-279. ISBN 9781108448642
The birds of Somerset
book_section
Moss, S (2018) 'The birds of Somerset.' In: Burkhalter, G and Workman, A, eds. Beyond the town: conversations of art and land. Hauser & Wirth, Bruton. ISBN 9783906915180
Foreword
book_section
Moss, S (2008) 'Foreword.' In: Barlow, J and Paul, M, eds. Wing beats: British birds in haiku. Natural History Book Service, Totnes, pp. 9-12. ISBN 9781903543245
Hopes and fears in the face of environmental crisis - readings and discussion
conference_item
Moss, S, Gee, M and Walton, S (2016) Hopes and fears in the face of environmental crisis - readings and discussion. In: Being Human: A Festival of the Humanities, 21 November 2016, Topping & Company Booksellers, Bath, UK.
An evangelist for nature: Stephen Moss's non-fiction in the context of 'new nature writing', past, present & future
thesis
Moss, S (2021) An evangelist for nature: Stephen Moss's non-fiction in the context of 'new nature writing', past, present & future. PhD thesis, Bath Spa University.
A guide to mountain and moorland birds
audio
Westwood, B, Watson, C and Moss, S (2013) A guide to mountain and moorland birds.
A guide to farmland birds
audio
Westwood, B, Watson, C and Moss, S (2011) A guide to farmland birds.
A guide to woodland birds
audio
Westwood, B, Watson, C and Moss, S (2008) A guide to woodland birds.
Soundscape: the swallow's journey
audio
Moss, S, Watson, C and Paterson, B (2001) Soundscape: the swallow's journey.