Avian Architecture: Book Review and Give-away

AVIAN ARCHITECTURE

How Birds Design, Engineer, and Build

by Peter Goodfellow

When Peter Goodfellow was growing up in England, he must have been one of those affectionately annoying little boys that asked a lot of questions, all the time. “How does this work?”, “Why does that happen?”, Where do you imagine that goes?”. And now, as an adult, Peter has taken that need for knowledge, that childlike curiosity, to a whole new level.

It is more than curiosity that drives an author such as Peter to write such a wonderful book. It is that need to know, that desire to connect with nature through knowledge and understanding, and the thrill of sharing it with others.



 AVIAN ARCHITECTURE, How Birds Design, Engineer, and Build, however, is not just about the ‘how’.  The interesting text, the well-drawn illustrations, and the beautiful photographs are cleverly punctuated with facts that also reveal the 'who, what, when, where and why'. The introduction gives a clear and precise accounting of what you can expect to find between the covers. Due to the fact that the focus is on the construction of different types of nests, the book covers every habitat, and how birds adapt, from all over the world. This makes it the perfect book for everyone.   In his own words, Peter's book "celebrates the diverse ingenuity and great dexterity of the finest of avian architects and builders".

While leafing through the book the first time I held it in my hands, I was naturally attracted to the chapter on community nesting because I spend most of my time on the rugged, rocky bound coast along the north Atlantic near terns and herons and the like. Not only does Peter explain about these nesting grounds, he also relates, in an ‘easy-to-read and understand’ way, the advantages and disadvantages of nesting in this manner, as well as, the social dynamics involved.  Now, with this knowledge, when I am observing these nesting grounds, I'll feel like a little more than just a mere 'observer'.

At the end of my busy day, when all was quiet and calm around me and I sat down to devote some serious time to reading , it wasn’t long before I realized that this is a book that made me want MORE. I barely started reading - I was only on pages 12 and 13, as a matter of fact, and I didn’t want to stop. Peter has embedded many interesting little facts throughout the text and I could hardly help myself from calling out to whomever might be nearby, “Hey, listen to this!” For instance, were you aware that the Short-eared Owl (Asia flammeus) builds a scrape nest?

Peter introduces each thematic chapter

with an overview of a specific nest type,

discusses the construction of the nest 

with accompanying blueprint drawings,

and showcases a few of the species of birds

that create such inventiveness

as 'case studies', "providing examples

of how different species adapt the nest type

to their specific habitat and requirements."

And somewhere inbetween these amazing pages

he covers "materials and features' and 'building techniques'.

Like Peter, I am also one of those people who needs to know.   (I just wish I could always remember!!)  I find it so fulfilling to glance up in the sky and be able to appreciate without second thought that the big bird I see is an osprey, not a gull or an eagle.  How I love to be paddling in my kayak and able to hear the birds and recognize the species.  I take great pleasure in hiking a trail, finding sign and being able to comprehend it’s origin.

'Knowing' fosters a sense of familiarity which, for me, breeds, not contempt, but a feeling of profound intimacy with nature. It embodies a purity, a spirit, and an emotion that swells up inside me, and yes, sometimes moves me to tears.

I’ve always wondered about nests, I’ve always wanted to know more about them.  By going beyond that of a guide book, Peter has unraveled this mystery, one of the many marvels of nature, with this first rate book, Avian Architecture.  It will be with great delight that I will now understand and appreciate the 'who, what, when, where, why and how' of the nests that I discover abandoned with the approach of fall, making yet another personal connection with our natural world.

Princeton University Press, is graciously offering a copy of Peter’s new book to one of my readers.  Leave a comment, spread the word, and in one week’s time, I will use the Random Number Generator to pick a winner.  Because this is such a fine book, to increase the odds, I'll give you an additional entry for anyone that stops by and mentions that you sent them! 

This is a must have book for anyone with

a curious mind!
Good Luck,
and
THANK YOU, Princeton University Press!!

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