"The Life of Birds" (1998) TV series

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

21 October 1998 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

David Attenborough's comprehensive and richly detailed study of birds, examining the variety of different species and their ways of life.

Plot Keywords:

Bird | Animal In Title | Bird In Title | Bird Watching | Nature

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

David Attenborough

...

Himself - Presenter (10 episodes, 1998)

Series Directed by
Joanna Sarsby		(10 episodes, 1998)

Series Writing credits
David Attenborough		(10 episodes, 1998)

Series Produced by
Mike Salisbury	....	executive producer / producer (10 episodes, 1998)
Ian Gray	....	assistant producer (6 episodes, 1998)
Phil Hurrell	....	assistant producer (5 episodes, 1998)
Joanna Sarsby	....	assistant producer (4 episodes, 1998)
Miles Barton	....	producer (3 episodes, 1998)
Peter Bassett	....	producer (2 episodes, 1998)
Fergus Beeley	....	producer (2 episodes, 1998)

Series Original Music by
Ian Butcher		(10 episodes, 1998)
Steven Faux		(10 episodes, 1998)

Series Cinematography by
Barrie Britton		(8 episodes, 1998)
Andrew Anderson		(5 episodes, 1998)
Mark Payne-Gill		(5 episodes, 1998)
Martin Saunders		(5 episodes, 1998)
Gavin Thurston		(5 episodes, 1998)
Michael Male		(4 episodes, 1998)
John Waters		(4 episodes, 1998)
Trevor de Kock		(3 episodes, 1998)
Hugh Maynard		(3 episodes, 1998)
Mike Lemmon		(2 episodes, 1998)

Series Film Editing by
Steve Olive		(10 episodes, 1998)
Tim Coope		(2 episodes, 1998)
Martin Elsbury		(2 episodes, 1998)
Andrew Mort		(2 episodes, 1998)
Jo Payne		(2 episodes, 1998)
Vincent Wright		(2 episodes, 1998)

Series Production Management
Cynthia Connolly	....	unit manager (10 episodes, 1998)

Series Art Department
Mick Connaire	....	graphics designer (10 episodes, 1998)

Series Sound Department
Trevor Gosling	....	sound recordist (10 episodes, 1998)
Peter Hicks	....	dubbing mixer (5 episodes, 1998)
Martyn Harries	....	dubbing mixer (4 episodes, 1998)
Lucy Rutherford	....	dubbing editor (4 episodes, 1998)
Paul Fisher	....	dubbing editor (3 episodes, 1998)
Angela Groves	....	dubbing editor (3 episodes, 1998)
Chris Watson	....	sound recordist (3 episodes, 1998)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Ganniclifft	....	additional photographer (5 episodes, 1998)
Gavin Thurston	....	additional photographer (5 episodes, 1998)
Andrew Anderson	....	additional photographer (4 episodes, 1998)
Hugh Maynard	....	additional photographer (4 episodes, 1998)
Mike Potts	....	additional photographer (4 episodes, 1998)
Martin Saunders	....	additional photographer (4 episodes, 1998)
Justine Evans	....	additional photographer (3 episodes, 1998)
Alan Hayward	....	additional photographer (3 episodes, 1998)
Mike Lemmon	....	additional photographer (3 episodes, 1998)
David Shale	....	additional photographer (3 episodes, 1998)
John Waters	....	additional photographer (3 episodes, 1998)
Barrie Britton	....	additional photographer (2 episodes, 1998)
Lindsay Cupper	....	additional photographer (2 episodes, 1998)
Stephen de Vere	....	additional photographer (2 episodes, 1998)
Nick Gordon	....	additional photographer (2 episodes, 1998)
Nick Hayward	....	additional photographer (2 episodes, 1998)
Paul Johnson	....	camera operator: additional photography (2 episodes, 1998)
Richard Kirby	....	additional photographer (2 episodes, 1998)
Mark Payne-Gill	....	additional photographer (2 episodes, 1998)
David Rasmussen	....	additional photographer (2 episodes, 1998)
Martin H. Smith	....	additional photographer (2 episodes, 1998)

Series Editorial Department
Rex Sawyers	....	telecine operator (10 episodes, 1998)

Series Other crew
Melissa Blandford	....	production coordinator (10 episodes, 1998)
Sharmila Choudhury	....	researcher (10 episodes, 1998)
Anne Holmes	....	production coordinator (10 episodes, 1998)
Natasha Martin	....	production team (10 episodes, 1998)
Yvonne Webb	....	production team (10 episodes, 1998)
Martin Whatley	....	production team (10 episodes, 1998)
Adam White	....	researcher (10 episodes, 1998)
Di Williams	....	production coordinator (10 episodes, 1998)
Paul Morrison	....	program consultant (4 episodes, 1998)
Nigel Bean	....	researcher (2 episodes, 1998)
Tim Birkhead	....	program consultant (2 episodes, 1998)

Series Thanks
Alan Kemp	....	thanks (3 episodes, 1998)
Gian Basili	....	thanks (2 episodes, 1998)
Tomas Blohm	....	thanks (2 episodes, 1998)
Robbie Bresson	....	thanks (2 episodes, 1998)
Lloyd Buck	....	thanks (2 episodes, 1998)
Thoswan Devakil	....	thanks (2 episodes, 1998)
Chris Feare	....	thanks (2 episodes, 1998)
Gavin Hunt	....	thanks (2 episodes, 1998)
Hiromichi Iwasaki	....	thanks (2 episodes, 1998)
John Mendelsohn	....	thanks (2 episodes, 1998)
Declan Troy	....	thanks (2 episodes, 1998)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (BBC Bristol)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (in association with)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (1998) (UK) (TV)
• Polyband (2010) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• 4:2:2 Videographic Design  graphic design (as 4:2:2 Bristol)
• Oxford Scientific Films  additional photography

Also Known As:

Runtime:

489 min (10 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Alaska, USA

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Quotes:

David Attenborough:Birds were flying from continent to continent long before we were. They reached the coldest place on Earth, Antarctica, long before we did. They can survive in the hottest of deserts. Some can remain on the wing for years at a time. They can girdle the globe. Now, we have taken over the earth and the sea and the sky, but with skill and care and knowledge, we can ensure that there is still a place on Earth for birds - in all their beauty and variety... if we want to... and surely, we should.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: Episode #12.3" (1999)

Has David Attenbourough ever done us wrong?

It is always easy to comment on these documentary's. David Attenbourough is simply the best naturalist their is, not only because of his witty charm and extremely interesting information, but it is his voice. A voice that I myself used to grow up with on Saturday mornings "Nature" when their used to be education on TV, not the Digimon/Pokemon Crap they have now.

This particular series is exceptional because along with his useful commentary the producers add in a number of special camera's to see the things that humans almost never get to see. Also animation against live backdrops of what pre-historic birds might have looked based on fossil research. I never had such admiration of birds until I saw this documentary. It is a must see