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Stephen Moss – Bath Spa University

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

Go to ResearchSPAce

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


Remarkable birds
book

Moss, S (2007) Remarkable birds. Collins, London. ISBN 9780007230259


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


How to birdwatch
book

Moss, S (2003) How to birdwatch. New Holland, London. ISBN 9781843301547


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 coastal birds
audio

Westwood, B, Watson, C and Moss, S (2010) A guide to coastal birds.


A guide to water birds
audio

Westwood, B, Watson, C and Moss, S (2009) A guide to water birds.


A guide to woodland birds
audio

Westwood, B, Watson, C and Moss, S (2008) A guide to woodland birds.


A guide to garden birds
audio

Westwood, B, Watson, C and Moss, S (2007) A guide to garden birds.


Soundscape: the swallow's journey
audio

Moss, S, Watson, C and Paterson, B (2001) Soundscape: the swallow's journey.


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