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The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think by Jennifer Ackerman
sevenlefts's review against another edition
4.0
I'd read Ackerman's The Genius of Birds about three years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I knew I'd like this one, too. And I did.
Ackerman looks at three broad categories of bird behavior -- talk, work, play, love and parenting -- and writes about species that are changing our ideas about how birds behave and what is going in on their tiny yet powerful brains. Several times she makes the point that a lot of this new research is being done on southern hemisphere and tropical birds, which have been much less studied than the more familiar (and often migratory) birds of North America and Europe. Turns out that not having to devote brain space and energy to long-distance migration leaves a lot of room for developing very innovative mating, hunting and child-rearing strategies. A lot of the examples she describes come from Australian bird researchers.
I think my favorite species she examined were the extremely playful Kea parrots of New Zealand. I really admired her ability to describe to the general public the incredibly innovative studies that ornithologists around the world are doing to try and figure out why birds do all the amazing things they do.
I'm currently taking a birding class, and I'm constantly thinking about birds. I kept checking eBird to find out about the various species Ackerman mentions in the book. It really slowed me down!
Ackerman looks at three broad categories of bird behavior -- talk, work, play, love and parenting -- and writes about species that are changing our ideas about how birds behave and what is going in on their tiny yet powerful brains. Several times she makes the point that a lot of this new research is being done on southern hemisphere and tropical birds, which have been much less studied than the more familiar (and often migratory) birds of North America and Europe. Turns out that not having to devote brain space and energy to long-distance migration leaves a lot of room for developing very innovative mating, hunting and child-rearing strategies. A lot of the examples she describes come from Australian bird researchers.
I think my favorite species she examined were the extremely playful Kea parrots of New Zealand. I really admired her ability to describe to the general public the incredibly innovative studies that ornithologists around the world are doing to try and figure out why birds do all the amazing things they do.
I'm currently taking a birding class, and I'm constantly thinking about birds. I kept checking eBird to find out about the various species Ackerman mentions in the book. It really slowed me down!
aciived0's review against another edition
5.0
I’ll have to read more from Jennifer Ackerman! I was immediately immersed in this book and the way she writes is easy to understand, even if it’s a lot of information. Every bird was so interesting! I had to keep pausing to look up videos of almost every single one. I think keas might be my favorite now. :)
freshetables's review against another edition
5.0
4.30/5.00 - [Must Read!]
An excellent piece of nonfiction for fellow biology and ornithology geeks! This book delves more into the social behaviours of birds and opens up the discussion about previously held narratives in biology that might not be true.
Some things I learned:
- the neuron density of bird brains is high meaning they may be able to perform higher cognitive function than previously expected
- new testing in natural environments, molecular biological breakthroughs and more sophisticated video capture technocology has allowed us to study birds in higher and more accurate detail
- some birds have evolved song words and warning calls convergently (most specially from brood parasites). Thus, birds from different continents can interpret others songs.
- some birds develop highly complex nesting and shared parentage systems
An excellent piece of nonfiction for fellow biology and ornithology geeks! This book delves more into the social behaviours of birds and opens up the discussion about previously held narratives in biology that might not be true.
Some things I learned:
- the neuron density of bird brains is high meaning they may be able to perform higher cognitive function than previously expected
- new testing in natural environments, molecular biological breakthroughs and more sophisticated video capture technocology has allowed us to study birds in higher and more accurate detail
- some birds have evolved song words and warning calls convergently (most specially from brood parasites). Thus, birds from different continents can interpret others songs.
- some birds develop highly complex nesting and shared parentage systems
mchester24's review against another edition
4.0
A really fascinating dive into all sorts of bird behaviors, evolutions, oddities, and more. I really enjoyed the various snapshots and insights into the world of ornithology. Only downside was it jumped around so much from one species to the next, one evolutionary trend to the next, one continent to the next, that I found it hard to retain the specifics of what I was learning about in each instance. I suppose that reflects one of the core themes about how birds are one of the most varied categories of animal and making any sort of sweeping conclusion is a fool’s errand!
In the end, really informative about what we can learn from birds and, critically, why we must be good stewards of the environment to help bolster their survival.
In the end, really informative about what we can learn from birds and, critically, why we must be good stewards of the environment to help bolster their survival.
charlibirb's review against another edition
5.0
I keep thinking about so many stories from this book, especially the firebird from Australia. Wild. I'll be reading more Jennifer Ackerman. Accessible and well-researched science journalism.