I hope Stephen Fry is paying attention. It seems that Fry has made knowledge (slightly) fashionable again, through his presenting of the knowledge orgy that is his BBC show QI.

In it, he manages to impart facts and debunk myths in such an engaging, funny and non-patronising way, that other comics have taken the baton and are making comedy out of boring' subjects.

Take Alex Horne, for example. Birdwatching is his latest show, which comes to Battersea Arts Centre next week as part of the N20 festival. A curious subject for a funnyfest, particularly when Horne has zero interest in ornothology.

His father and brother, however, are life-long bird watchers, and the premise of the show is the challenge that Horne lays down to his father: who could spot the most bird species in a year?

While his Dad was armed to the beak with knowledge and experience, 29-year-old Horne made up for his novice status by being the migratory type, travelling abroad several times during the year, giving him extra opportunities to whip out the binoculars.

The contest, and all the twists, turns and anecdotes that lie within, make up Birdwatching, a show which received all-round praise from those devillish critics at the Edinburgh Festival. So who won? He won't tell.

PF: How much do you know now after a year of birdwatching?

AH: I can't have any claim to knowledge, my Dad claims to know nothing and he's been doing it for 50 years. I think it is hard to get an in depth knowledge of things, we are happy nowadays with just having superficial knowledge. But I think it's cool to be passionate about things.

PF: Did you spot anything particularly exotic?

AH: I went to South Africa where my brother works on a bird reserve. I saw a lot of penguins, the South African bul bul, all sorts.

PF: What is your favourite bird?

AH: I'll go for the common starling - it is uncelebrated and surprisingly good looking, it is really glittering up close. They can mimic pretty much everything, like a minah bird. Shakespeare talked about them, he had somebody tease their enemy by getting a starling to say his name in his ear all night.

PF: What was the most memorable moment?

AH: I think my favourite was seeing a mermeration of starlings, it was with my dad in Brighton in October. It is part of his job is to show people them. It goes on for about half an hour then it just stops and they go and roost for the night.

PF: Which bird would you like to be?

AH: I like the idea of being an albatross, something that rarely lands, just keeps flying for 365 days a year, sounds like a laugh!

PF: You have had shows on latin, science and now birds, what next?

AH: I'm doing one about language, on whether it is possible to invent a new word. I've been working on it for a few years.

Alex Horne, Birdwatching; BAC, Lavender Hill, SW11 5TN; February 6, 8.30pm, £10/£6, visit bac.org.uk or call 020 7223 2223.