Despite growing up in Liverpool, just 20 minutes’ drive from the departure point of the Liverpool–Douglas ferry, I have never visited the Isle of Man. In fact, other than the good numbers of Red-billed Choughs, the large Hen Harrier roosts and the (now extinct) population of Red-winged Laughingthrushes on the Island, I have to admit to having little knowledge of Manx bird life. Birds of Conservation Concern in the Isle of Man is the first Island-level assessment of the conservation status of the nation’s birds. It’s an important step in ensuring species get appropriate levels of local protection, and brings the state of the Isle of Man’s avifauna to a wider audience.