The Wonder of Birds: What They Tell Us About Ourselves, the World, and a Better Future [B1361]

2018 PB in excellent condition. A fascinating investigation into the miraculous world of birds and the powerful-and surprising-ways they enrich our lives and sustain the planet. Our relationship to birds is different from our relationship to any other wild creatures. They are found virtually everywhere and we love to watch them, listen to them, keep them as pets, wear their feathers, even converse with them. Birds, Jim Robbins posits, are our most vital connection to nature. They compel us to look to the skies, both literally and metaphorically; draw us out into nature to seek their beauty; and let us experience vicariously what it is like to be weightless. Birds have helped us in so many of our human endeavors: learning to fly, providing clothing and food, and helping us better understand the human brain and body. And they even have much to teach us about being human in the natural world. This book illuminates qualities unique to birds that demonstrate just how invaluable they are to humankind-both ecologically and spiritually. The wings of turkey buzzards influenced the Wright brothers' flight design; the chickadee's song is considered by scientists to be the most sophisticated language in the animal world and a "window into the evolution of our own language and our society"; and the quietly powerful presence of eagles in the disadvantaged neighborhood of Anacostia, in Washington, D.C., proved to be an effective method for rehabilitating the troubled young people placed in charge of their care. Exploring both cutting-edge scientific research and our oldest cultural beliefs, Robbins moves these astonishing creatures from the background of our lives to the foreground, from the quotidian to the miraculous, showing us that we must fight to save imperiled bird populations and the places they live, for the sake of both the planet and humankind.

From recent-ish Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "As much about humans as our is about birds. Fascinating read."; "A really interesting mix of biology, zoology and spirituality. A championing cry for the healing power of walking amongst nature (and especially birds). Well worth a read even if birds and nature aren't normally your thing."; "I like this kind of blend of nature and scientific writing. It opens ideas of how natural adaptations manifest across species, and highlights important discoveries from the natural world. Indeed, as bird species continue to move toward extinction, it remains necessary to consider the wonder that birds embody, and ask ourselves what should be done to preserve them, in all of their wonder."; "The author makes an eloquent and convincing case for why the human species is much more connected to birds than most of us realize, and why we should embrace those connections and learn from birds and our relationships with them in order to build a better future for the planet and our species."