Dodo, eagle, sparrow … the 10 birds that changed the world for ever

A veteran naturalist and writer picks the species that have played a key role for humans, from ancient civilisations to today's climate crisis

For the whole of human history, we have shared our world with birds. We have hunted and domesticated them for food; worshipped them in our religions; placed them at the heart of our myths and legends; poisoned and persecuted them; and celebrated them in our literature, art and music. Even today, despite a very worrying disconnection between ourselves and the rest of nature, birds continue to play a role in our lives.

The current official list of the world's birds stands at roughly 10,800 different species. But there are 10 whose stories stand out, for the way they influenced a crucial aspect of our history, and shaped our lives.