Lisa LaCivita
Part I of This blog is for the birds focused on the Great Backyard Bird Count that takes place each February. In Part II, I want to share with some you of the new titles (about birds) that have been added to our collection in the past year and remind you of related selections in our DVD collection.
During the past year, we have acquired new books about birds. David Sibley created one of the best field guides for birds (trees too!) and a book on bird behavior. His newest: What it's like to be a bird: from flying to nesting, eating to singing--what birds are doing, and why, answers the most frequently asked questions about birds and includes over 300 new illustrations. Jennifer Ackerman’s 2016 book: The genius of birds was a fascinating exploration of research into bird cognition or “intelligence”. Her newest book: The bird way: a new look at how birds talk, work, play, parent, and think, continues to report on current science and research as well as her own observations and travels. This title is available as a print book or a book on CD.
We have a new book that combines feeding and identifying birds: Feed the birds!: attract and identify 196 common north American birds. Also added to the collection are two new books about penguins: My penguin year: life among the emperors and Every penguin in the world: a quest to see them all. The Falcon thief: a true tale of adventure, treachery, and the hunt for the perfect bird is a “true-crime adventure about a rogue who trades in rare birds and their eggs—and the wildlife detective determined to stop him.” Supernavigators: exploring the wonders of how animals find their way is not solely about birds, but some bird species are “super-navigators” and the question of how animals find their way is a mystery that is still being solved.
Even if counting or identifying birds is not your inclination, they are still captivating and intriguing. One movie about observing/counting birds that I can recommend is The big year. We also have many interesting documentaries involving birds, conveniently shelved using the same system for non-fiction books with call numbers from 598 to 599. There are two DVDs on identifying birds, and other DVDs featuring penguins, owls, ducks, turkeys, hummingbirds, and the American eagle.
Aside from their beauty, awesomeness and variability, birds play a crucial ecological role in insect control and seed dispersal. There are numerous reasons to appreciate birds. Start with a walk, a book or a movie and let your gratitude for these amazing creatures take wing!
- 10 Ways to Help Birds: This go-to list includes everything from purchasing Duck Stamps to paying it forward to the next generation
- Seven Simple Actions: We prepared this popular list expressly for the #BringBirdsBack movement
- Put Seven Simple Actions on Your Fridge in a handy checklist format in English or Spanish
- Be an Influencer and share a printable version at club meetings and bird walks
The titles mentioned in this blog were featured in the Nature and Science Newsletter. You can see past issues of newsletters here. You can sign up for newsletters here.