A superb and concise bird compendium.
Author-illustrator and conservationist McMullan, with collaborators Derek Sallmann and Ryan Sallmann, offers a wide-ranging illustrated overview of birds in 49 U.S. states and Canada.
The book covers more than 1,000 avian varieties on the North American continent, including all of the United States except Hawaii. Birds are arranged by order and family, but readers may easily search for their common English-language names in an index. The authors describe each bird’s habitat range in detail and accompany it with a map inset, color-coded to show where the bird can be found at which time of year. The text descriptions of species are precise, thorough, and often unexpectedly expressive: a graylag goose, for instance, is said to have the “familiar cackling brays of the farmyard goose” while cedar waxwings are described as “the most bacchanalian of birds,” due to their penchant for getting intoxicated by eating fermented fruit. In a guide such as this, readers should expect detailed graphics of various species, and this book delivers full-color illustrations comparing adult and juvenile plumage, as well as male and female variations. When birds closely resemble other varieties, the authors helpfully show the creatures side-by-side and highlight their distinctness under a “What’s the Difference?” heading. For example, the Savannah sparrow may be identified by a dark eyestripe and buff lines, while a Baird’s sparrow has white lines and no eyestripe. In addition, the book features a glossary of terms, useful maps, and a diagram of the different parts of a bird. At a time when many birders rely on identification apps—some of which can pinpoint an avian species in seconds—a guide like this may seem obsolete. For many enthusiasts, though, it will surely evoke the ineffable pleasure, often established in childhood, of opening an artfully executed reference book and losing oneself in its knowledge. In the preface, the authors express their belief that “birding is an activity that can make people happier”; a guide like this is sure to bring readers hours of delight, whether they’re outside with a pair of binoculars or simply sitting at home.
A superb and concise bird compendium.Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9781784275426
Page Count: 376
Publisher: Pelagic Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 24, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An ebullient nature lover’s paean to birds.
A charming bird journey with the bestselling author.
In his introduction to Tan’s “nature journal,” David Allen Sibley, the acclaimed ornithologist, nails the spirit of this book: a “collection of delightfully quirky, thoughtful, and personal observations of birds in sketches and words.” For years, Tan has looked out on her California backyard “paradise”—oaks, periwinkle vines, birch, Japanese maple, fuchsia shrubs—observing more than 60 species of birds, and she fashions her findings into delightful and approachable journal excerpts, accompanied by her gorgeous color sketches. As the entries—“a record of my life”—move along, the author becomes more adept at identifying and capturing them with words and pencils. Her first entry is September 16, 2017: Shortly after putting up hummingbird feeders, one of the tiny, delicate creatures landed on her hand and fed. “We have a relationship,” she writes. “I am in love.” By August 2018, her backyard “has become a menagerie of fledglings…all learning to fly.” Day by day, she has continued to learn more about the birds, their activities, and how she should relate to them; she also admits mistakes when they occur. In December 2018, she was excited to observe a Townsend’s Warbler—“Omigod! It’s looking at me. Displeased expression.” Battling pesky squirrels, Tan deployed Hot Pepper Suet to keep them away, and she deterred crows by hanging a fake one upside down. The author also declared war on outdoor cats when she learned they kill more than 1 billion birds per year. In May 2019, she notes that she spends $250 per month on beetle larvae. In June 2019, she confesses “spending more hours a day staring at birds than writing. How can I not?” Her last entry, on December 15, 2022, celebrates when an eating bird pauses, “looks and acknowledges I am there.”
An ebullient nature lover’s paean to birds.Pub Date: April 23, 2024
ISBN: 9780593536131
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A heartwarming and inspiring story for animal lovers.
The third volume in the Elephant Whisperer series.
In this follow-up to An Elephant in My Kitchen, Malby-Anthony continues her loving portrait of the Thula Thula wildlife reserve, which she co-founded in 1998 with her late husband, South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony, who published the first book in the series, The Elephant Whisperer, in 2009. Following his death in 2012, Malby-Anthony sought to honor his legacy by continuing his vision “to create a massive conservancy in Zululand, incorporating our land and other small farms and community land into one great big game park.” At the same time, the elephants gave her “a sense of purpose and direction.” In the Zulu language, thula means quiet, and though the author consistently seeks to provide that calm to her charges, peace and tranquility are not always easy to come by at Thula Thula. In this installment, Malby-Anthony discusses many of the challenges faced by her and her staff, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. These included an aggressive, 2-ton rhino named Thabo; the profound loss felt by all upon the death of their elephant matriarch, Frankie; difficulty obtaining permits and the related risk of having to relocate or cull some of their animals; the fear of looting and fire due to civil unrest in the region; and the ongoing and potentially deadly struggles with poachers. Throughout, the author also shares many warm, lighthearted moments, demonstrating the deep bond felt among the humans and animals at the reserve and the powerful effects of the kindness of strangers. “We are all working in unity for the greater good, for the betterment of Thula Thula and all our wildlife….We are humbled by the generosity and love, both from our guests and friends, and from strangers all around the world,” writes the author. “People’s open-hearted support kept us alive in the darkest times.”
A heartwarming and inspiring story for animal lovers.Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 9781250284259
Page Count: 320
Publisher: St. Martin's
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
