Book Review by Dave Magpiong
As birders, we find joy and excitement in rare birds. When a Whiskered Tern showed up in Cape May last September, adrenalized birders from surrounding states scurried to catch a glimpse of the very special visitor. We often assume that others will also savor the rush of such rarities.
Yet, many more people find "their" birds more compelling. They see Blue Jays, Northern Cardinal, Red-tailed Hawks, and chickadees almost every day and want to know more about their lives. Where do they nest? How do they raise their babies? How do they "do it"?!
For those itching to learn the secrets of their local birds, Laura Erickson and Marie Read have provided the perfectly satisfying scratch with their new book Into the Nest: Intimate Views of the Courting, Parenting, and Family Lives of Familiar Birds (Storey Books, 2015). Throughout its 207 pages, Into the Nest provides the nitty-gritty details of how birds pair up, get down to the business of making a family, raise their little ones, and even the development of fledglings for over 30 of our more common and widespread species. With minimal jargon, the concise text will help readers of various ages and skill levels significantly increase their own awareness of breeding ecology for these birds.
For bird educators and enthusiasts alike, the informative and accessible writing alone makes Into the Nest a valuable resource to have on your shelves, coffee tables, or infused into your outreach programs but the book's attractive layout and nearly voyeuristic photography makes it difficult to put it down. From the aerial rituals of Peregrine Falcons to money shots of copulating birds to adorably ugly featherless chicks, the photos significantly enhance the readers' understanding of all the effort that goes into each new generation, much of which happens in our own backyards!
To truly understand the beauty and endearing nature of Into the Nest, you will need to get it into your hands. More importantly, you should share this book with your family, friends, students, and program participants to help them witness, up close and personal, the beauty and endearing nature of birds!
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