Owls

Following my review of Scott Rashid's “The Great Horned Owl”, another book about these awesome birds. The species I know are here: Barn, Barred, and Great Horned (with a different sentiment than in the previous book), yet no Screech Owls. With all the biodiversity, even a sampling of 50 species can only cover so much. I am mostly familiar with birds of North America, so I get excited to learn of different species from other continents. Unlike most other guides, the birds in this little book are organized by habitat (woodland, tropical, wilderness, desert), not taxonomically or geographically.

The writings and the drawings do not seem to come from the same person, except both are quirky. The watercolors are accurate, and some of the descriptions are too, but they are also attributed human personalities, more like a non-birder's impression – or anyone on a pop culture internet page. The language is a playful vocabulary including use of alliterations. Some artistic liberties are taken, such as a star-like pattern on the Greater Sooty Owl. Some are perched on green branches or other backgrounds, but most are by themselves, and all are pretty. Each species has its own beauty: I like the colors of Southeast Asia's Spotted Wood Owl and the ice cream-like Spotted Eagle-Owl, the patterns of the Jungle Owlet and Brown Wood Owl, and the expressions of the Fearful Owl and the striking Powerful Owl – those are indeed their common names. I wish the Great Gray Owl were pictured in full, not just the close up of its face; this is more forgivable in the case of the Burrowing Owl.

If you let your own eyes unfocus, the painted eyes of these birds look even more real, and their attitudes are evident. The Brown Fish Owl has an interesting evolutionary adaptation, and the Pel's Fishing Owl of Africa looks more like a parrot or a hawk - but the author says why the real Hawk Owl is so named. Scientific names are given too, which I always appreciate.  The front and back inside covers are paintings of individual feathers, and there is a checklist at the end with mirror images reprising the species list. Many are endangered, and the last species was discovered only very recently. Matt Sewell’s “Owls” makes me want to travel the world to see the real birds, or at least get to better know the local ones.

Note: I received a free copy of this title through BloggingForBooks in exchange for an honest review.