This book aims to give a perspective view of avian biochemistry and molecular biology. The main topics discussed are either those which are particularly important in birds, e.g. the metabolism associated with energy provision for flight and the expression of keratin genes necessary for feather growth, or those in which a process occurs in a different manner in birds as compared with other vertebrates, e.g. the generation of antibody diversity and the excretion of nitrogen as uric acid. Areas where there are only slight differences between birds and mammals, and which are well covered in standard textbooks of biochemistry and molecular biology, are either not considered or discussed only briefly.

The book is divided into two parts; the first is concerned broadly with metabolism and its control, and the second is concerned with the organisation of the avian genome and its expression.

Much of the work cited has been carried out in the 1980s, and a significant proportion has not been previously reviewed. For this reason an extensive list of references is given to the primary literature so that readers can locate the sources of information. A basic knowledge of biochemistry and molecular biology equivalent to that which might be covered in a one year undergraduate course is assumed.