The Pleasure Of Birds

When Julia Zarankin saw her first red-winged blackbird at the age of thirty-five, she didn’t expect that it would change her life. Recently divorced and auditioning hobbies during a stressful career transition, she stumbled on birdwatching, initially out of curiosity for the strange breed of humans who wear multi-pocketed vests, carry spotting scopes and discuss the finer points of optics with disturbing fervour. What she never could have predicted was that she would become one of them. Not only would she come to identify proudly as a birder, but birding would ultimately lead her to find love, uncover a new language and lay down her roots. Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder tells the story of finding meaning in midlife through birds. The book follows the peregrinations of a narrator who learns more from birds than she ever anticipated, as she begins to realize that she herself is a migratory species: born in the former Soviet Union, growing up in Vancouver and Toronto, studying and working in the United States and living in Paris. Coming from a Russian immigrant family of concert pianists who believed that the outdoors were for “other people,” Julia Zarankin recounts the challenges and joys of unexpectedly discovering one’s wild side and finding one’s tribe in the unlikeliest of places. Zarankin’s thoughtful and witty anecdotes illuminate the joyful experience of a new discovery and the surprising pleasure to be found while standing still on the edge of a lake at six a.m. In addition to confirmed nature enthusiasts, this book will appeal to readers of literary memoir, offering keen insight on what it takes to find one’s place in the world.

The perfect resource for budding bird-watchers. Because birds can be found in every neighborhood, and in all seasons, they’re an excellent choice for piquing children’s interest in wildlife. Here’s a comprehensive guide to birds that makes the perfect starting point. Beautiful pages explore many different bird species and their fascinating and unique characteristics, from feathers to eggs and nests. A year in the life of birds explains what to look for, season by season. And the beginning bird-watcher section helps kids get started in the field. Birds of a feather? More like, birds of every feather here! Kids will be grabbing their binoculars to spot them all around!

This book explores the place of birds in Roman myth and everyday life, focusing primarily on the transitional period of 100 BCE to 100 CE within the Italian peninsula. A diverse range of topics is considered in order to build a broad overview of the subject. Beginning with an appraisal of omens, augury, and auspices – including the ‘sacred chickens’ consulted by generals before battle – it goes on to examine how Romans farmed birds, hunted them, and kept them as pets. It demonstrates how the ownership and consumption of birds were used to communicate status and prestige, and how bird consumption mirrored wider economic and social trends. Each topic adopts an interdisciplinary approach, considering literary evidence alongside art, material culture, zooarchaeology, and modern ornithological knowledge. The inclusion of zooarchaeology adds another dimension to the work and highlights the value of using animals and faunal remains to interpret the past. Studying the Roman view of birds offers great insight into how they conceived of their relationship with the gods and how they stratified and organised their society. This book is a valuable resource for bird lovers and researchers alike, particularly those studying animals in the ancient world.

Provides basic information about the biology, life cycles, and behavior of birds, along with brief profiles of each of the eighty bird families in North America.

Focuses exclusively on Darwin the ornithologist, not on biographical aspects of Darwin's life.

75 gorgeous close-up avian photographs make this exquisite coffee table book the perfect gift for bird lovers An unusual blend of charming heartfelt personal essays and in-depth scientific information bring the reader uniquely into the inner lives of birds Intertwining with our everyday lives like no other wild creature, birds inspire our curiosity and appeal to our sense of wonder and whimsy. These stunning and intimate photographs capture the beauty and detail of each bird's form, as well as their unique character and personality. Taken while working with researchers at observatories and wildlife refuges, the images offer rare close-up detail sure to delight any bird lover. The accompanying short essays share often-hidden elements from birds' lives, with both charming personal stories and detailed scientific research. Discover why robins sing so early in the morning and learn the science behind the almost magical iridescence of mallard feathers. This enchanting collection shares the irresistible joy and marvel of birds, from the golden eagle to the purple sandpiper.