By Jeff Rothenberg
Enjoy a list of 10 interesting books for birders to take you into the fall. It’s an eclectic mix of content obviously tied together with the theme of birds.
What It’s Like to Be a Bird by David Allen Sibley: A non-technical book that answers common questions about bird behavior and biology in an accessible way. It is a large format, beautifully illustrated guide focusing on the behavior and biology of common North American species through engaging essays and interesting facts.
Ten Birds That Changed the World by Stephen Moss: A captivating work of natural history that tells the story of our tenuous, and sometimes fragile, but deep relationship with birds through ten key species across all seven continents. A fun book that can be read by diving into single chapters at a time.
What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds by Jennifer Ackerman: This 2023 bestseller explores recent scientific discoveries about owls, from their extraordinary sensory abilities to their complex social behaviors. This is an engaging, well-researched science book that details owl senses, complex communication, and hidden behaviors. She translates field research into an accessible, fascinating look at the secret lives of owls.
The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan: An instant bestseller from the author of The Joy Luck Club, this book is a beautifully illustrated account of her exploration as she became a backyard birder in California. As a bonus, it highlights 113 of her original sketches on the birds she observed.
The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson: A captivating true crime story that examines in detail the 2009 theft of 299 rare bird specimens from the British Natural History Museum at Tring in England. The book follows twenty-year-old musical prodigy Edwin Rist, who stole the specimens—some collected 150 years earlier by Alfred Russel Wallace—to fuel his obsession with the Victorian art of salmon fly-tying, uncovering the bizarre world of the “feather underground,” a secretive community where rare feathers can cost thousands of dollars.
John James Audubon: The Making of an American by Richard Rhodes: The 2004 biography by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Rhodes, chronicling the life of the famous ornithologist and artist. The book details Audubon’s journey from France to America, his epic travels to paint birds, his complex relationship with his wife Lucy, and his role in shaping America’s self-image through his iconic Birds of America series. Rhodes’ work is praised for its vivid depiction of Audubon’s life, his art, and the vanishing wilderness he documented.
Ornithography: An Illustrated Guide to Bird Lore & Symbolism by Jessica Roux: This is a gorgeous, 224-page coffee table book featuring 100 full-page bird illustrations paired with global folklore, mythology, and historical meanings. The book blends art and myth wonderfully, though it leans more on creative storytelling than strict ornithological science.
Crazy for Birds by Misha Maynerick Blaise: A whimsical, philosophical and very informative little book with really fun illustrations. A very surprising book laid out in a graphic novel-type format. A true delight for any birder as it reemphasized what we already know–the deep and long connections humans have with our avian friends.
Urban Aviary: A Modern Guide to City Birds by Stephen Moss and Marc Martin: Using colorful and soft watercolor images, this book highlights urban birds in international cities. A “light” book for birders, it has great aesthetic appeal and does offer some keen insights into our urban flying friends.
Raven and the Box of Daylight by Preston Singletary: This glass art book accompanied the stunning, multi-sensory traveling art exhibition that we had last year at the Eiteljorg Museum. It tells the Tlingit creation story of Raven bringing light to the world using over 60 monumental, sand-carved glass sculptures paired with immersive soundscapes and projections. Using breathtaking carved and blown glass, the book and exhibition tell the iconic story of Raven–who as any good bird watcher knows is an incredibly intelligent creature–and makes a great gift!