The bird way : a new look at how birds talk, work, play, parent, and think
Record details
- ISBN: 9780735223011
-
Physical Description:
print
regular print
355 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm - Publisher: New York : Penguin Press, 2020.
- Copyright: ©2020.
Content descriptions
Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Search for related items by subject
Subject: | Birds -- Behavior Birds Social behavior in animals |
Available copies
- 5 of 6 copies available at BC Interlibrary Connect. (Show)
- 1 of 1 copy available at Castlegar Public Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 6 total copies.
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Castlegar Public Library | 598.15 ACK (Text) | 35146002186252 | Non-Fiction | Volume hold | Available | - |
- Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2020 April #2
*Starred Review* The first line of this introduction to the fascinating world of bird cognitionâThere is the mammal way and there is the bird way.âsums up the science of studying the avian brain and mind. As we have learned (and are still learning) with mammals, bird behaviors once thought bizarre or merely instinctive are proving to reveal not only intelligence but also abilities that we once thought were uniquely human. Ackerman (The Genius of Birds, 2016) explores five aspects of the daily lives of birds as she describes striking examples of each behavior. Her research shows how some avian actions indicate ingenious adaptations. Take communication: the familiar songs and calls of birds are highly complex, but so are enacted displays and even individual coloring. Finding food can initiate behaviors such as tool building: birds modifying sticks which they then use to pry insects out of holes. The ways birds play have been extensively studied in ravens and parrots, both known to be highly intelligent. And finally, breeding and the rearing of avian young involve amazingly diverse variations. There is clearly no one single bird way of being, and Ackerman's vibrant writing ensures that all things bird are thoroughly compelling and enjoyable. Copyright 2020 Booklist Reviews. - BookPage Reviews : BookPage Reviews 2021 October
Book Clubs: October 2021From ants to whales, these inviting nonfiction books offer eye-opening perspectives on animals.
In Fathoms: The World in the Whale, Rebecca Giggs considers the background and mythology of the mighty whale. Tracking the creature across centuries through a spellbinding survey of history, science and art, Giggs evaluates the whale's enduring importance and shows how its relationship to the environment has altered over time. With stops in Australia and Japan, Giggs' fluid account will captivate readers, and questions related to species' extinction and environmental degradation will spark inspired dialogue among book clubbers.
Beloved naturalist Edward O. Wilson became intrigued by ants as a boy in Mobile, Alabama. That interest developed into a lifelong preoccupation, and in Tales From the Ant World, he shares personal anecdotes and scientific insights related to the insect. From the fire ant to the uncommon New Caledonian bull ant, Wilson looks at 25 different species. His book is packed with fascinating ant-inspired trivia and research stories, and Wilson's always absorbing voice makes potentially dry subjects such as biodiversity, the world's ecosystems and scientific methodology endlessly fascinating.
Patrik Svensson's The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination With the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World sheds new light on an elusive animal. Although research studies related to the eel are plentiful, scientists still know very little about the fish. For example, eels have never been observed giving birth or mating, and they inexplicably swim back to the ocean near the end of their life, even though they spend the majority of their time in fresh water. Svensson chronicles the eel's remarkable existence through a synthesis of history, science and memoir. Readers will find plenty to talk about in his compelling narrative, such as evolution and the limits of scientific research.
Jennifer Ackerman investigates avian traits in The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think. Providing a fresh take on our fine-feathered friends, Ackerman analyzes recent scientific research into bird habits related to communication, reproduction and feeding practices. She takes a multifaceted approach to her subject, creating a narrative that will cause many readers to revise their perceptions of birds as simple creatures. Book clubs can dig into rich topics such as animal cognition and species development.
Copyright 2021 BookPage Reviews. - Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2020 March #2
The author of The Genius of Birds returns with an exploration of "surprising and sometimes alarming behavior" of everyday avian activity. Science journalist Ackerman showcases various aspects of typical bird activityâcommunicating, working, playing, parentingâthat have been "dismissed as anomalies or set aside as abiding mysteries." In reexamining these behaviors, scientists have been able to identify "remarkable strategies and intelligence underlying these activities, abilities we once considered uniquely our own," including deception, kidnapping, infanticide, cooperation, collaboration, altruism, and culture. Extreme behavior reveals insights and new perspectives on birds' adaptation abilities and flexibility of mind. Ackerman is a smooth writer; her presentation of ideas is deft, and her anecdotes are consistently engaging. She demonstrates that birds' novel or seemingly eccentric behaviors are often clever strategies rooted in evolutionary wisdom as well as complex cognition in different contexts, such as decision-making, finding patterns, and planning for the future. It is becoming increasingly evident that bird vocalization postures express emotions, convey intent, and signal a range of social purposesâe.g., sharing information, negotiating boundaries, influencing behavior. And some bird species "are not just memorizing complex signals but rather applying a generalized grammatical ordering rule to decode messages." Ackerman demonstrates bird science as an evolving discipline that is consistently fascinating, and she offers brilliant discussions of the use of smell, long overlooked but indeed deployed for navigation; courtship signals; predator avoidance, and, not surprisingly, locating food. There is a captivating section on birds working in concert with ants in foraging as well as an examination of the mean tricks of parasitic chicks and particularly aggressive species. Cowbirds, for example, often show "mafia-like tactics," and they are "so good [at what they do] that they appear to be contributing to the demise of dozens of already troubled North America n songbird species on the brink of extinction from habitat degradation." A brightly original book sure to please any nature lover. Copyright Kirkus 2020 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved. - Library Journal Reviews : LJ Reviews 2020 April
Ackerman (
Copyright 2020 Library Journal.The Genius of Birds ) contends that recent research on how birds communicate, work, play, parent, and think reveals that the creatures are remarkably intelligent. The complex behavior of birds recounted here, including the greater ani, the kea parrot, and the brush turkey, demonstrates that birds have sophisticated mental abilities previously unrecognized by conventional avian research. Ackerman supports her thesis with descriptions of the behavior of an entertaining variety of birds from across the world. She brings scientific research alive with personal field observations and accounts of her encounters with colorful and fascinating birds. Throughout, Ackerman reminds readers that birds are thinking beingsâtheir brains are wired differently than those of mammals, giving them increased brain power despite their small size. She further makes the case that bird intelligence shows that humankind is not alone in using language and tools or constructing complex structures and manipulating other creatures.VERDICT This work will engage all readers interested in learning more about birds and natural history.âMark Jones, Mercantile Lib., Cincinnati