WORLD WITHOUT BIRDS

In many ways our planet is for the birds, Lund argues—which is why severe recent declines in their populations mark an ominous trend.

Describing dozens of feathered residents occupying seven habitats from deserts to islands and open oceans, the author demonstrates that everywhere on Earth humans have gone, birds have, too—and they got there first. Unfortunately, that “everywhere-ness” hasn’t prevented avian populations from dropping once we arrived, all too often to the point of extinction. But Lund’s vague warnings of the severe likely consequences of their disappearance, from an insect “apocalypse” to general ecosystem collapse, are so thoroughly buried in standard-issue descriptions of selected species, their adaptations to particular habitats, and examples of extinction and reclamation that he seems to have lost track of his announced topic; “World With Birds” would be a more appropriate title. Though this work is a companion to Mark Kurlansky’s World Without Fish (2011), the prose isn’t nearly as compelling. Vivid wildlife photos or images like those found in other bird surveys might have made up for the ordinary prose, but Orlando’s sparse spot art and portraits of drab avian subjects seem more like afterthoughts than effective visual hooks. Rare groups of human figures are racially diverse. For those looking to make a difference, Lund closes with activities, organizations, and potential careers to pursue.

Broad in scope but lacks the eloquence or urgency to spark much concern.