[1][2] In 1938, Howard purchased a plot of land outside the village of Ditchling and arranged for construction of the home she later called "Bird Cottage.
Believing that fear is the primary motivating factor in much of avian behaviour as observed by humans, and wanting to combat the scientific conclusions that had been drawn from such observations, Howard strove to effect great control over her and her birds' environment so as to maximize her birds' sense of security, and to encourage an uninhibited relationship with them.
To this end, Howard was reclusive and gave strict instructions to those who ventured to visit her or contact her at Bird Cottage.
Howard's musical training gave her unique insight into birdsong, and the final section of her first book is devoted to an in-depth analysis of this topic.
[5] In 2016, a novel based on Len Howard's life and work, Het Vogelhuis, written by the Dutch author Eva Meijer, was published in the Netherlands.