A review by jaynecm
Owl Sense by Miriam Darlington

4.5

Most more recently published nature books cannot speak about their subject without at least some discussion of the effects of the degradation of the environment and climate change.

"Owls, like so many species, no longer exist purely as astonishing, innocent, wild beings. They are emissaries from an imperilled ecosystem, rare representatives of natural freedom and abundance."

"So what can a writer do, faced with a world whose wildness appears to be unravelling?"

The author takes pains to point out that the wild and its creatures must remain wild. Breeding in captivity is a very feeble second-best. But as humans destroy the wild in so many ways, we are at risk of losing many more species at an accelerating rate and must do what we can to save the remnants of our destruction.
This book was a perfect balance between the author's personal response to the owls and to her own family situation, the descriptions of nature and scientific facts. The beauty and majesty of the owls shines through every page, as well as the magnificence of the wilderness they inhabit. There is also the resourcefulness of the owls who live closer to human habitation and the people who have dedicated themselves to studying and preserving these striking birds.