BIRDS

All over the world, birds with unique skills and adaptations survive and flourish in all kinds of different environments.

Krestovnikoff, a well-known BBC wildlife presenter and author of The Ocean (2020), is also president of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, which will benefit from sales of this British import. Here, she explores the world of birds. She groups them in chapters, sometimes by habit (birds of prey) and more often by habitat (seabirds, freshwater birds, tree dwellers, passarines, birds that live where it is extremely cold or extremely warm, and birds that live in cities). Other chapters cover distinctive characteristics (feathers, beaks, and eyes), nests, and behaviors (flightless birds, migration, and bird song). Each chapter has further subtopics presented in dense chunks of information with clear subheadings on spreads that include labeled images of some of the birds discussed. The writer has chosen intriguing facts, bits of information that are likely to stick in readers’ minds even though some of the birds she describes may be unfamiliar to them. Even more striking are the illustrations, both black-and-white wood engravings and silk-screened linocuts. Harding’s colors are often more artistic than realistic: Her flamingos and scarlet macaws are a brownish orange, but the sapsucker has a properly red cap and neck. As art to enjoy, they suit the admiring tone of the book.

Better for appreciation than information, this attractive title is suitable for larger collections and dedicated bird lovers.