Book Review - Birds and Us - Princeton University Press

"The fact is that no species has ever had such wholesale control over everything on earth, living or dead,  as we now have. That lays upon us, whether we like it or not, an awesome responsibility. In our hands now lies not only our own future, but that of all other living creatures with whom we share the earth."

Sir David Attenborough

      Tim Birkhead begins the preface to this book by recounting how as a child of six he was tasked by his teacher with painting a picture of a Common Loon, and how proud he was at being selected for this special assignment. It is quite clear that Birkhead has lost not one scintilla of that kind of wonder and enthusiasm for birds - every assignment is still special - and that is surely one of the hallmarks of all that Birkhead has ever written. Let me freely confess that I am an unabashed admirer of this fine ornithologist, who is an equally accomplished writer. Meticulous attention to detail and a flair for language are hallmarks of Birkhead's works. A work such as this does not need flights of rhapsodic prose, but no one captures the essence of the moment quite as well as Birkhead.

"Inaccurate descriptions and illustrations of previously unknown birds and other exotic wildlife wormed their way insidiously into the literature and perched there, radiating misinformation."

     It is a cause for great satisfaction to be so enamoured of an author that upon opening the book at the first page one is assured of being drawn in, captivated, educated and entertained. Birkhead has not disappointed me yet.

     This book is about birds, yes, but it is equally an expansive look at human history and the relationship of people to birds over historical time, embracing spirituality, the need for food, empathy, religious intolerance, class warfare and science. 

     Along the way we keep company with many of the giants of ornithology - old friends like Androvandi, Ray, Willughby, Gessner, Gould, Tinbergen and Lorenz and so many others, to remind us of the difficult path that ornithology was forced to tread on the way to becoming an accepted, scientific discipline. That path was made more rocky than it might have been by scoundrels like Meinertzhagen.

     The book is replete with black-and-white illustrations throughout, many with historical significance; others done by contemporary artists, and all wonderful.

     The drawing by David Quinn on page 304, of a male Great Auk accompanying its chick to sea moves me to tears when I contemplate the myriad evil and brutal ways by which we erased this bird from the earth and the sea, generally by clubbing it to death. It is a strange twist of logic that human hunters attributed stupidity to a bird that showed no fear, having never had reason to, and willingly set about the slaughter of these gentle, confiding creatures. Birds and Us, indeed.

     The section containing sixty-three coloured illustrations is superb, each one conveying the association between birds and humans in different historical contexts. Despite his shortcomings and sometimes less than agreeable conduct, I have been an admirer of John Gould, or perhaps more correctly of his contribution to ornithology, and the picture of him close to death surrounded by his family and bird skins, is an evocative image, unduly sentimental and unrealistic though it may be.

     The Epilogue is poignantly composed, and reflects Birkhead's commitment to scientific rigour on the one hand, while recognizing the absolute necessity of communicating with the layman on the other. Indeed, if citizen science is to continue to contribute towards academic ornithology, this need is greater than it has ever been.

     Sadly, the state of our planet is in serious jeopardy, with less than universal commitment to do what is needed to reverse the damage inflicted by human arrogance and greed. As Birkhead points out the future is still influenced by "sordidly avaricious short-termists." 

     Bird populations continue to decline, the oceans are awash in plastic, forests are being chopped down impairing the lungs of the planet and releasing more carbon into the atmosphere, the soil is poisoned and wildfires and floods are becoming annual events. 

     The subtitle of this book is A 12,000-Year History from Cave Art to Conservation. Will it will be possible to write about another 12,000 years? Not if we don't change our ways, and there seems little possibility of that. 

     So enjoy this book and reflect on our past relationship with birds; there may not be much of a future.

Birds and US: A 12,000-Year History from Cave Art to Conservation

Tim Birkhead

Hardcover - US$35.00 - ISBN 9780691239927

496 pages - 6.125 x 9.25 inches (15.31 x 23.125 cm)

63 colour and 70 black-and-white illustrations - 2 maps

Publication date: 09 August, 2022

     

  

Tim Birkhead, Scientist, Ornithologist and Writer Extraordinaire

      During this period of enforced isolation, I am sure that we all have time to take stock of our surroundings, and take pleasure in our homes, and to examine and re-examine our treasures. And so it is, that I have been poring through my books anew, rediscovering treasured texts, re-informing myself, dallying over especially well-written pieces, and refreshing my knowledge. Forgotten details are studied as though seen for the first time.
     There are so many tremendously good books on my shelves, and they are
without question a great source of joy to me every day, and they are frequently consulted and re-consulted, read and re-read. It is very difficult to rank authors of ornithological and natural history texts in the way that one is able to allocate preference to fiction writers, but I am quite sure that Tim Birkhead, an esteemed favourite son of England, is my first choice.
     I am presenting below, with a brief synopsis of each one, the books by this author that I own. 

Sperm Competition and Sexual Selection

      This is the very first Birkhead book that I purchased, way back in June 1999. It provides a comprehensive overview of the competition between gametes for successful fertilization, which lies at the heart of the evolutionary process. Many different organisms are covered. As you might imagine, the section on avian reproduction has been consulted most frequently!

The Red Canary

      
    This book won the Consul Cremer prize. It is popular science at its very best - a perfect blend of exactness and superb entertainment - Mark Cocker. For naturalist and non-naturalist alike, a great read.

The Survival Factor

      I know Mike Birkhead only as a producer of wildlife documentaries, mainly for the BBC, and as far as I know he is not related to Tim Birkhead. Based on the Darwinian principles of natural selection, this book examines the strategies and adaptations employed by different creatures to assure their own existence and to perpetuate their species.

The Wisdom of Birds

     If you have never heard of John Ray, this is an essential read. If you have heard of John Ray, this is an essential read! A tremendous discussion of the concepts of avian territoriality, clutch size, mating strategies, and much more, with reference to many of the seminal figures of ornithology.

The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Ornithology

     Comprehensive review of every aspect of the life of birds. Written in easy to understand language, suitable for students at any level, yet unerringly delivering the technical knowledge needed to become proficient in the study of birds.

Ten Thousand Birds - Ornithology Since Darwin
     

     A first class review not only of the recent history of ornithology but also of the key players involved. No other book of this type comes anywhere near this one in its breadth of coverage and depth of scholarship. Ten Thousand Birds is in a class by itself and an outstanding read.  Ian Newton

The Most Perfect Thing - Inside and Outside a Bird's Egg

     Birkhead has written the perfect book about the perfect thing, where his breadth of knowledge of avian reproduction is exhibited to the fullest, and his enthusiasm is no less on display. For bird lover and general reader alike a compelling volume.

The Magpies 

     A detailed and comprehensive monograph of Black-billed and Yellow-billed Magpies. Essential reading for anyone interesting in the life histories of these frequently misunderstood and often maligned corvids.

     Tim Birkhead is that rare combination of scientist and writer, where both skills are brought together without one dominating the other. He is able to write clearly, concisely, and interestingly, while not watering down one scintilla of the often complex ideas presented, in a manner that everyone can read, and in such a fashion that one simultaneously acquires knowledge and derives great satisfaction from the written word.

Books

     As the year draws to a close I reflected on some of the books that have impressed me this year and would like to share a few of them with you. These are not necessarily recent books, but works that are new to me. They are not presented in any particular order; the idea is not to rank them, rather it is to share with you some first rate nature titles which gave me great pleasure, and also made me think.

The Seabird's Cry by Adam Nicolson, Henry Holt and Company (2018)

     I was first alerted to this volume when my good friend, Marg Paré, told me of a book that she had purchased in a European airport where she was changing planes. I borrowed her copy and immediately bought my own. Nicolson, like so many good nature writers today, has a command of language that would rival a fine essayist, and the book not only covers important aspects of the life of seabirds, it does it in a style guaranteed to captivate. 
     It is a story of the global tragedy of seabirds and the urgent need to change our ways to ensure the future survival of these magnificent creatures. Sombre stuff indeed, but a story that needs to be told.

This isn't just about 'seabirds.' It's about the living poetry of winged beings who share our planet as though inhabiting another world.  Carl Safina

This marvelous book inhabits with graceful ease both the mythic and the scientific, and remains alert to the vulnerability of these birds as well as to their wonder. It is a work that takes wing in the mind.  Robert MacFarlane

Birds of Prey of the East, Birds of Prey of the West by Brian K. Wheeler, Princeton University Press (2018)
     

     These companion volumes are as fine a work on raptors as one might wish for, with text and illustrations by Brian K. Wheeler, a name associated with birds of prey for well over thirty years. His familiarity with these birds is reflected in his superb illustrations and detailed, comprehensive text. It is a compendium of knowledge refined over a lifetime of study and thousands of hours spent in the field observing the birds first hand. It is called a field guide, but is in fact much more than that. For a single work on the raptors of North America I can think of nothing better.

Brian Wheeler's new field guides are must-haves for every bird of prey aficionado, hawk watcher, raptor biologist, or field naturalist. The wonderfully detailed plates and text synthesize the latest knowledge on plumages for each species, including information on aging, and mark a new frontier in raptor identification books.  Laurie J. Goodrich

The spectacular colour illustrations and detailed text should make Birds of Prey of the East and Birds of Prey of the West welcome additions to the library of any serious aficionado of diurnal birds of prey - or to anyone who has ever looked skyward and marveled at the grandeur of a soaring raptor.  Wayne R. Petersen

The Most Perfect Thing - Inside (and Outside) a Bird's Egg by Tim Birkhead, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (2016)

     Birkhead brings his formidable scientific knowledge and impeccable writing style to this enchanting work. I have recommended this volume to non birding friends and they have universally enjoyed it, a testament to the way that Birkhead can cover a topic to make it interesting to dedicated naturalist, biologist and lay reader alike.

     It covers every aspect of the avian egg - shape, colour, design, fertilization, development, efficacy, the sorts of care needed, incubation and hatching. After reading this book you will never look at a bird's egg the same way again. Even writing this brief review, I find myself already wanting to read the book for a third time!

Full of wonder and surprise, and beautifully written.  Nick Davies

A thrilling voyage through what most of us think of as an ordinary item sold at the supermarket.....What makes this book such a pleasure is not just the author's breadth of knowledge.....but his unbridled enthusiasm and the clarity of his explanations.....One doesn't have to be a bird enthusiast to relish this book, but it would be the most perfect gift for anyone who is.  Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The Red Canary by Tim Birkhead, Bloomsbury USA, Paperback Edition (2014)

     Another fine work by Tim Birkhead in which he dons his deerstalker hat to play detective in a work that delves into the field of genetics and eugenics and illustrates the inter-relationship between nature and nurture, a field hotly debated in recent years. His pursuit of the truth leads him to probe the use of eugenics as a basis for racial purity and the dark uses to which this was put in Nazi Germany. The hero of the piece, Hans Duncker, had a darker side, perhaps unknown to any extent before Birkhead's scholarship revealed the details.               And all this in the quest to breed a red canary!

     Birkhead also comments on the relationship between ornithologists and bird fanciers, and explores how the long held hostility between the two groups is both unnecessary and limiting to scientific research.

Popular science at its very best - a perfect blend of exactness and superb entertainment.   Mark Cocker

The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf, Vintage Books (2016)

     Alexander von Humboldt was arguably one of the most famous scientists of his day and without doubt the most adventuresome explorer, going where few people had been before, fearlessly and without regard for personal comfort and security. Many of Humboldt's discoveries changed the way we understand the natural world and his legacy lives on in the many towns, parks, the ocean current, birds, etc. that bear his name. 

     I had the finest pelagic birding adventure of my life in the Humboldt Current off the coast of Chile and marveled at the antics of a Humboldt Penguin. The name Humboldt piqued my curiosity, for I knew little of the man behind the name, and this detailed and superbly written account of this great naturalist and larger-than-life figure fills in every detail. I am left breathless at the energy and drive of the legendary explorer.

     Andrea Wulf deserves great praise for this stunning work.

Gripping...Wulf has delved deep into her hero's life and travelled widely to feel nature as he felt it...No one who reads this brilliant book is likely to forget Humboldt.  New Scientist

A big, magnificent, adventurous book - so vividly written and daringly researched - a geographical pilgrimage and an intellectual epic... a major achievement.  Richard Holmes

The Running Sky by Tim Dee, Vintage Classics (2016)

     

     I was unfamiliar with Tim Dee until a recent visit to Australia when my friend and fellow bibliophile, Stewart Monckton, presented me with a copy.

     Yet again, Dee demonstrates that serious scientific issues can be presented in a non-threatening way, free from intimidating jargon, and written in soaring poetic fashion. Simply to appreciate the use of language is reason enough to read this book. And the degree of scholarship is astounding.

     The book is a month by month account of the lives of birds and begins in June at a seabird colony in the Shetlands. It continues its exploration of birds both familiar and exotic, in locations close to home and in far flung corners of the globe. Throughout the work Dee's passion is evident and the extent to which influences from his sometimes troubled childhood have shaped his life's work is explored in the book. 

Dee's extraordinary, beautifully written account of a life spent watching birds is a fine addition to the flourishing genre of British nature writing.  Sunday Times

The Running Sky has the makings of a classic. It's beautifully written, extraordinarily vigilant, and very moving. Most remarkable of all, it mamanges to give a sense of the bird world as being something which embraces and contains our own - which mean that, as we read it, we learn a lot about ourselves as well as the fellow creatures flying through, over and around our own lives.  Andrew Morton