Beaks, Bones, and Bird Songs

Birds are amazing, and not just because of Roger Lederer’s (or my) bias. His new “Beaks, Bones, and Bird Songs” is a comprehensive book about birds, not limited to the elements mentioned in its title. In particular, he explains the evolved physical and behavioral characteristics of these animals and why they’re important in the face of threats ranging from the immediate to long-term. There is always a trade-off, a disadvantage for every advantage. However, it’s not a totally bleak picture: how adaptable birds can be comes up many times in many ways. Plus, there are many unknowns, meaning more areas for future research, which can help inform conservation.

Lederer tells you why there is not one perfect, universal bird, but thousands of species. His examples come from all across the ornithological spectrum, with the extreme ends often helping illustrate their incredible diversity. The Kiwi is often at one of these ends, as are hummingbirds, and penguins. The species are from all over the world, not just the familiar ones in North America, and he chooses to mention them in context of certain adaptations. Photos are included in case you have never seen (or maybe never even heard of!) a certain species, and some figures complement the writing, such as the physical forces involved in flight, though these are better seen on paper rather than in an ebook.

While it took me a while to finish, this is the kind of book you can pick up at any point and continue from where you left off. Very well organized throughout, the author’s academic background guides the scientific layout. It is crammed full of information, but in concise, digestible sentences, never excessive or boring. It builds on what was previously discussed, and the author provides a summary at the end of each chapter. There’s always more to learn about birds. After you read this book, you can observe them and have a better idea of why they are doing what they are doing.