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Title details for The Private Lives of Public Birds by Jack Gedney - Available

The Private Lives of Public Birds

Learning to Listen to the Birds Where We Live

by Jack Gedney
Anna Kus Park
ebook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
A book to help the ordinary birdwatcher appreciate the fascinating songs, stories, and science of common birds
Jack Gedney's studies of birds provide resonant, affirming answers to the questions: Who is this bird? In what way is it beautiful? Why does it matter? Masterfully linking an abundance of poetic references with up-to-date biological science, Gedney shares his devotion to everyday Western birds in fifteen essays. Each essay illuminates the life of a single species and its relationship to humans, and how these species can help us understand birds in general. A dedicated birdwatcher and teacher, Gedney finds wonder not only in the speed and glistening beauty of the Anna's hummingbird, but also in her nest building. He acclaims the turkey vulture's and red-tailed hawk's roles in our ecosystem, and he venerates the inimitable California scrub jay's work planting acorns. Knowing that we hear birds much more often than we see them, Gedney offers his expert's ear to help us not only identify bird songs and calls but also understand what the birds are saying. The crowd at the suet feeder will never look quite the same again. Join Gedney in the enchanted world of these not-so-ordinary birds, each enlivened by a hand-drawn portrait by artist Anna Kus Park.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    May 17, 2022

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9781597145756

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9781597145756
      • File size: 4351 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      Starred review from May 1, 2022

      Upon stepping outside their homes, nearly everyone in the world will be met with chirps, peeps, tweets, and twitters--some sweet, some shrill--indicating, of course, the presence of birds; bird sounds are so ubiquitous that they often go unnoticed by people. Nature writer Gedney (Trees of the San Francisco Bay Area) aims to correct course with this book illuminating the sounds of the most common Western U.S. birds (mourning doves; turkey vultures; American crows) in 15 simple yet beautifully crafted essays. Each essay contains descriptive inspired writing, with numerous poetic references as well as beautiful illustrations by Park. Although written specifically to the experience of Californians, Gedney's essays shed light on bird communication in a way that will engage readers everywhere; his book has the potential to create a bird lover out of anyone who picks it up. VERDICT A book that will leave readers enthralled and yearning for more. It belongs in and is recommended for all libraries, both public and academic.--Steve Dixon

      Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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