After gaining a doctorate and two years post-doctoral work in the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford, Mike joined London Weekend Television in 1984. Mike worked in the current affairs and features department for 4 years on a variety of programmes including the Michael Aspel Six O'clock Show, commercials for the community unit and game shows - Animal Crackers. Experience also includes outside broadcasts and live studio programmes.

Mike went independent in the late 80s and has made many award winning films and series including Battle to Save the Tiger, Cuckoo, Amba and most recently Echo an Unforgettable Elephant - in the US called Echo an elephant to remember.

At present we are making a number of new programmes for National Geographic with Gordon Buchanan.

See photos of Mike Birkhead on location

Titles produced/directed
Most Recent Programmes

• Echo an Unforgettable Elephant
• Amba the Russian Tiger
• Good Morning Kalimantan 6x30
• Radio Gibbon
• Echo and the Elephants of Amboseli 13x30
• Cukcoo
• Real Monarch of the Glen 6x30
• Moose in the Glen
• Elephant Nomads of the Namib Desert
• Battle to Save the Tiger
• Eye for an Elephant
• Tiger Zero
• Eagle Island
• Echo of the Elephants; the final chapter?
• Desert Wolves of India
• Guy Pearce's Ultimate Guide to Tigers
• Tigers of the Emerald Forest
• Search for Tigers
• Danger in Tiger Paradise
• Leopard Hunters
• The Tigers’ Fortress
• The Timeless Thames
• The Monkeys Of The Rock
• The Last Tusker
• Tiger – BBC & National Geographic Special
• Land Of The Tiger 6 X 50’ Series
• Postcards From The Country. 8 X 40’ Series
• Tiger Crisis
• The Tale Of The Peacock And The Tiger
• Thunderbirds
• Grand Canyon
• Badlands
• Land Of Giants

See programmes for full details

Older Programmes

The Return Of The Royal Swan
1991 a 30' film for ABC/Discovery
An award winner at Missoula film festival.

The Camargue
1991 A 30' film for ABC/Discovery

Chateau Safari
1991 A 30' film for ABC/Discovery

Ants and Plants
1991 A 30' film for ABC/Discovery

In Search of Hammerheads
1991 A 30' film for ABC/Discovery

Web of Steel
1991 A 30' film for ABC/Discovery

Brave New Wilderness
1990 A Series of 6 x 30' for network ITV

The Survival Game
1988 A 60' National Geographic special

The Crown of the Continent
1988 A 60' film for WNET/HTV

Produced and directed a series of commercials for KLM Airlines 1992

1988 onwards:
Independent/Freelance Producer/Director, producing films for BBC, PBS, HTV/Partridge Films, National Geographic, WNET, Discovery and Animal Planet.

Books and Publications

Written numerous articles for papers and magazines. Written or co-authored,and/or photographed the following books; The Survival Factor (an Anglia survival TV/tie in book), Brave New Wilderness (an LWT tie in book), City Safari (an LWT tie in book), The Mute Swan, The Zoo in the Garden, The Zoo in the Town, The Zoo in the House, The Zoo in you, The Kestrel in the Town and Postcards from the Country.