Jackie Morris, a prolific illustrator with more than 30 years of experience, is set to release her most ambitious work to date: The Book of Birds. The 383-page illustrated field guide highlights 49 threatened bird species, organized around seven thematic “wonders” — nest, egg, beak, song, feather, flight, and migration. The guide is a collaboration with British author Robert Macfarlane, whose poetic text complements Morris’s watercolour paintings. The book is scheduled for release in the United Kingdom on May 7, with Canadian and U.S. editions following later in the spring.

Morris, 63, who lives near the Irish Sea in the hamlet of Treleddyd-fawr, southwest Wales, has illustrated or authored around 60 books throughout her career. She is known for her distinctive focus on nature, particularly birds, which have been a subject of fascination and artistic inspiration since childhood. Her father, a policeman in Evesham, south of Birmingham, introduced her to birdwatching and sketching, fostering her early interest in avian subjects.

The Book of Birds is Morris’s third collaboration with Macfarlane, following the success of The Lost Words (2017) and The Lost Spells (2020). Both earlier works celebrate nature by compiling acrostic poems spotlighting fading words connected to the natural world, and have inspired various adaptations across multiple art forms including music, theatre, and games. Macfarlane, 49, shared that the unexpected popularity of their previous titles motivated the duo to continue their joint exploration of nature-themed projects.

Morris’s studio, located in a renovated attic space with skylights, reveals her deep connection to the natural world. The room is filled with detailed drawings, taxidermy specimens, and curiosities—all collected and preserved without harm to animals. She describes the creative process behind The Book of Birds as challenging initially, as she sought ways to visually express the conceptual “wonders” central to the book. Ultimately, she settled on combining traditional portraits of each species with dynamic two-page spreads depicting the birds in flight, noting that many classic bird guides lack such representations.

Despite a supportive father, Morris faced early discouragement regarding a career in art from her working-class family. Her parents preferred more conventional paths, and her art instructors were often critical. She recalled a teacher telling her, “You’re a long way from brilliant,” but noted that her determination to learn propelled her forward. After attending art colleges in Exeter and Bath, she built a career illustrating magazines, newspapers, and books.

Known for her modesty and dark humor, Morris lives quietly with her cocker spaniel and three cats, while her partner resides nearby. Among the personal touches in her home is a weather vane depicting a girl riding a bear — an allusion to a Norwegian fairy tale she illustrated and serves as a landmark to her secluded cottage.

Morris’s dedication to kindness, both toward others and through her art, informs much of her work. For her, illustrating birds is a lifelong passion, one she continues to pursue with unwavering enthusiasm, as evident in her extensive contributions to nature literature and illustration.