URBAN ROOSTS: Where Birds Nest in the City

by Barbara Bash ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 1990

The author of two other beautifully illustrated nature books--including Desert Giant (1989)--surveys the surprising variety of birds that, ""as their natural habitats have been destroyed,"" have adapted to city living: sparrows and finches that find crevices suitable for nesting in traffic lights, statuary, or laundry on a line; snowy owls that recognize airports' similarities to the arctic tundra; pigeons, which originally inhabited rocky cliffs; and even the peregrine falcons that have learned to nest under bridges and on gravel rooftops while they prey on the pigeons. Bash's accounts of the birds' behavior are fascinating; they also tellingly demonstrate the kinds of problems that must be solved for adaptation to be a success. Her illustrations, clear enough for identification, are especially pleasing: combining vignettes with larger vistas, and decorative passages with solid information, the pages are handsomely composed. An excellent contribution.

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1990

ISBN: 0316083127

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sierra Club/Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1990

Categories: CHILDREN'S