Fancy getting a penthouse for Christmas.? Fancy a Bird for Christmas? RSPB

Fancy
getting a penthouse for Christmas...?

Yes? We thought you might, but here at
the RSPB we know someone that needs a penthouse more than you, that's why we've
developed a range of good natured gifts*.

Good natured gifts are a fun and unusual way to give a gift that will really mean
something. Every gift you buy will help vulnerable wildlife, as the money you
pay goes directly towards the RSPB's work to protect the environment.

So whether
the lucky person you're buying for is a bird lover, a hedgehog fanatic,
passionate about rainforests or simply wants to do their bit for the
environment there's something for everyone.

For the property tycoon:

A
Penthouse for a tenner - £10

A perfect home for tree-nesting
goldeneye ducks. Fully detached, timber framed and built to last. The gentle
sloping garden offers superb panoramic views of Scottish lochs and mountains.
Just the home in which to start a family of fluffy babies every year. It's safe
from predators, and there's no council tax!
A des res on the marshes - £10

Sociable, noisy and don't like the cold?
Sound like anyone you know? In fact, bearded tits are reed-dwelling birds that
are highly vulnerable to severe winters and their population has fallen in
recent years. £10 could buy some of these birds a safe, cosy home for year use
round  - and one that's lovingly made
from natural reed & hazel.

For the globe trotter:

A home for
thousands for 50p - £20

A tree's
just a tree right? Wrong. In the Harapan rainforest, Sumatra
- one of the world's biodiversity hotspots - one tree can be home to thousands
of animals and plants. A gift of just £20 will help plant 40 trees in this
amazing habitat, helping to reverse the damage done by years of logging and
exploitation.

One whole
acre of rainforest - £28

Rainforests
are called the lungs of our planet because they constantly recycle carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere into oxygen. They are incredibly valuable for
wildlife, supporting countless species, many of which haven't even been named.
A gift of £28 will help us survey and protect one acre of rainforest in Indonesia,
safeguarding it for future generations. Go on - help us all breathe easily.

For the
rural retreater:

A British
countryside icon - from £17

Forget the
credit crunch and don't let the housing market get you down. Put your money
where you're guaranteed a good return - UK wildlife.
Trees - like the oaks, elms, rowans and hollies that make the UK
countryside so glorious - provide vital habitat for our birds, mammals and
insects. £17 plants six saplings - a small amount to pay for a gift that will
be here for centuries to come.

A hedgerow
home for Spike - £28

It's not
just Spike who's at home in a hedgerow. A huge variety of animals find food and
shelter in these mini nature reserves, or use them as ‘corridors' to move from
one place to another. Many treasured hedgerows have been torn up in the last
few decades. But with a gift of £28 you can help reverse the damage; this gift
could help plant 10 metres of hedgerow Spike and his mates.

For those
batty about birds:

An avocet
for life not just for Christmas - from £18

Many
people have seen an avocet - it's the curve beaked star of the RSPB logo. The
avocet is one of our great conservation success stories, but that doesn't mean
that it's out of trouble, as many avocet habitats are still under threat. From
just £18 a gift of sponsorship could help the RSPB to continue its work to
protect this fabulous bird and the wetlands it depends upon.

Your own
piece of vulture culture - £20

Why should
pandas get all the attention? Vultures may not be as cuddly but they are just
as precious and deserving as other threatened species. Some Asian vultures are
perilously close to extinction - their numbers have fallen by 97% in just over
a decade. Your gift of just £20 could help us care for and raise a vulture
chick in our captive breeding programme. Go on - stand up for vulture culture!

A
lifesaving line for an albatross  - £50

An
albatross can fly thousands of miles without stopping. It needs to land only to
nest and raise its young. But tragically, 100,000 of these fantastic flyers
drown every year when they get accidentally caught in deep sea fishing lines. A
gift of £50 could buy a kit of specially designed coloured streamers that warn
the birds of danger, keeping them in the air for years to come.

Once you've chosen your good natured gift...

Simply
visit www.rspbshop.co.uk or call 0845
1 200 501 to order your pressie. We'll then send you a gift card that describes
your chosen project (don't worry, you won't actually get a vulture chick or
hedgerow landing on your doorstep!) and a lovely a greeting card that you can
send to the lucky recipient.

The new,
improved www.rspbshop.co.uk website
will be live from October 2008. For further media information or images please
contact Helen or Selina on 01753 832259.

*Good natured gifts represent some of
the conservation projects in which the RSPB is engaged and the income from
sales of good natured gifts will help fund these and many other projects.

The Royal Society for the Protection of
Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England
and Wales no. 207076, Scotland no. SC037654