PublishedScribe Publications, October 2024 |
ISBN9781761381447 |
FormatSoftcover, 320 pages |
Dimensions23.3cm × 15.4cm × 2.7cm |
A fresh appreciation of the magic of birds and how watching them fulfils a human need to connect with nature.
Enchantment by birds is commonplace. Birdwatchers merely go a step further than others and actively seek to be enchanted. This book tells why they take that extra step. It takes the reader on a series of excursions into birdwatching's past, venturing forward to the present. With an intriguing cast of characters, avian as well as human, its lively narratives explore the emotional and aesthetic impulses behind the pastime as well as its scientific and conservationist components.
Its stories of 22 Australian birds range widely- from wordy squabbles over bird names to the artistic finessing of field guides; from the Paradise Parrot's tragic fall into extinction to the everyday enjoyment of a Magpie's carol; from the evolution of citizen science to the boom in birding tourism. Interlacing them all is the insight that birdwatching is a means by which modern, urban people reach out to touch the wild. A primal desire to connect with nature lies at the heart of the pastime.
Enchantment by Birds not only offers a compelling exposition of what makes birders tick; it also tells us, imaginatively and informatively, why birds have a special place in our hearts.
'Birdwatching is booming at the moment. If you like birds, this book will astonish and delight you. If you don't know what the fuss is all about, this brilliant book explains why so many people from all walks of life have picked up their binoculars and are heading out the door.'
-Darryl Jones, urban ecologist and author of Curlews on Vulture Street
'Russell McGregor has delved into the archives to bring us a beautifully written account of our relationship with birds. There is some fascinating stuff here, and a timely reminder of the intrinsic importance of birds for nature's sake, and for ours.'
-Sarah Pizzey, scientific editor of The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia
'It's been said that if you had to name someone to bat for your life, choose Steve Waugh. Or your mother. Well, if I needed someone to bird for my life, Russell would be second pick. After my father.'
-Raoul Slater, nature photographer and co-author of The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds
