Why Don't Woodpeckers Get Headaches: And Other Answers to Bird Questions You Know You Want to Ask (Paperback)

~ (Author), Olivia Miller (Editor)
Key Phrases: great auk, black ducks, peanut feeder, North America, House Finch, Cape Cod (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Cape Codder columnist O'Connor ("Ask the Bird Folks") illuminates his intricate, arcane area of expertise through jovial insider explanations that will enlighten as well as entertain ornithiphiles, average backyard birdwatchers and even nonbirders. O'Connor's humorous birding columns are organized into sections on ways to attract specific species, food, unusual birds, habitats, equipment and more. Among many wry but practical answers to tongue-in-cheek and sincere questions, O'Connor explains why birdseed is healthier for birds than white bread (empty calories), but plain (not sugared) doughnuts are also better than bread. He debunks the "old wives' tale" of ostriches hiding their heads in the sand—on the open savanna they just drop their heads to the ground hoping to appear like a bush to a predator in the distance. As for the woodpecker, it has "evolved a rather tough head. Its larger brain case prevents concussions, and the muscle and bone structure at the base of the bill serves as a shock absorber. The avian equivalent in tone and expertise to NPR's Car Talk Magliozzi brothers, O'Connor should net a wider audience with this amusing collection. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“The avian equivalent in tone and expertise to NPR's Car Talk Magliozzi brothers, O'Connor should net a wider audience with this amusing collection.” Publishers Weekly

“while O’Connor’s detailed responses are full of ornithological facts, it’s their humor and irreverence that make the book so entertaining.” Audubon

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Product Details Paperback: 211 pages Publisher: Beacon Press (April 30, 2007) Language: English ISBN-10: 080708574X ISBN-13: 978-0807085745 Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #310,133 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Surprise Me!

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Inside This Book (learn more)

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
great auk, black ducks, peanut feeder, get headaches, feeder birds, cavity nesters

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
North America, House Finch, Cape Cod, New England, Barn Owl, Purple Finch, Ludlow Griscom, Pileated Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Wood Ducks, Barn Swallows, Indigo Buntings, Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Beach Orioles, South America, California Gulls, Tree Swallows, White-breasted Nuthatches, Audubon Society, New York, Christmas Day, Central America, Eastern Bluebird, New Mexico, Scarlet Tanagers

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Surprise Me!

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	83% buy the item featured on this page: Why Don't Woodpeckers Get Headaches: And Other Answers to Bird Questions You Know You Want to Ask 5.0 out of 5 stars (6) $10.36
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Customer Reviews

6 Reviews 5 star:  (6) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 5.0 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 8 of 8 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Entertaining, May 1, 2007 By  J. head (littlteton, nh USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Amazon Verified Purchase Perhaps the most entertaining book about birds ever written. This book is a collection of the author's newspaper columns entitled, "Ask the Bird Folks". These excepts discuss questions that the general public is concerned with, or that the author has repeatedly answered in his Bird-watchers Store on Cape Cod. Common questions such as, How do you squirrel proof your bird feeder, or If I keep the bird feeder full of food will the birds still migrate South for Winter, to more exotic ornithological questions. The author, Mike O'Connor, answers these questions along with some related facts usually couched in between some hilarious zingers thrown out at the questioner's expense. All in all the book is a good balance of factual material with humor and a down-to-earth commonsense style. Kudos to the author. A very good book for short segmented reading opportunities. 5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!, September 24, 2009 By  A. Tony - See all my reviews This book is so funny. If you are a birder or just want a good laugh check this book out. Mike O'connor writes seriously with dead pan humor. More than once did I bust out laughing at his replies to the birders question. 5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and informative, December 31, 2008 By  J. Scardilli - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This is an easy read... yet very enjoyable with great ideas for backyard birders! I actually laughed out loud at some of the quips. It is a book that you can read a few sections when you get a chance, then come back to it over a period of time. I have ordered several for gifts for friends and family who love birdwatching so they can share in the reading experience! Definitely recommended!		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars birders have a sense of humor too I laughed out loud several time through the read. Thanks, Mike O'Conner you're right on point. We Birders are a real crazy lot... Published 11 months ago by M. Jeong 5.0 out of 5 stars Great for any level birder, fun and full of good advice Mr. O'Connor runs a bird store on Cape Cod and writes a column about birds and birders for the local paper there, The Cape Codder. Read more Published on June 27, 2007 by Roberta Beyer 5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and informative This book was a "hoot" (excuse the pun). It had me chuckling out loud at the author's humorous answers to a variety of bird questions. Read more Published on May 2, 2007 by S. Woodworth Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 211 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press (April 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080708574X
• ISBN-13: 978-0807085745
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #310,133 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Entertaining, May 1, 2007

By	J. head (littlteton, nh USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

Perhaps the most entertaining book about birds ever written. This book is a collection of the author's newspaper columns entitled, "Ask the Bird Folks". These excepts discuss questions that the general public is concerned with, or that the author has repeatedly answered in his Bird-watchers Store on Cape Cod. Common questions such as, How do you squirrel proof your bird feeder, or If I keep the bird feeder full of food will the birds still migrate South for Winter, to more exotic ornithological questions. The author, Mike O'Connor, answers these questions along with some related facts usually couched in between some hilarious zingers thrown out at the questioner's expense.
All in all the book is a good balance of factual material with humor and a down-to-earth commonsense style. Kudos to the author. A very good book for short segmented reading opportunities.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!, September 24, 2009

By	A. Tony - See all my reviews

This book is so funny. If you are a birder or just want a good laugh check this book out. Mike O'connor writes seriously with dead pan humor. More than once did I bust out laughing at his replies to the birders question.

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and informative, December 31, 2008

By	J. Scardilli - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an easy read... yet very enjoyable with great ideas for backyard birders! I actually laughed out loud at some of the quips. It is a book that you can read a few sections when you get a chance, then come back to it over a period of time. I have ordered several for gifts for friends and family who love birdwatching so they can share in the reading experience! Definitely recommended!