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The Wisdom of Birds: An Illustrated History of Ornithology Hardcover – October 14, 2008

by Tim Birkhead (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars 10 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 448 pages
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury USA; 1st American Edition edition (October 14, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1596915412
  • ISBN-13: 978-1596915411
  • Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 1.7 x 9.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #121,413 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
The History of Ornithology Illustrates the Triumph of Science
By Rob Hardy HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWER on January 19, 2009
Format: Hardcover
Everyone watches birds. Not everyone has binoculars, or takes hikes to see particular specimens to include on a life list. No one, however, can help but enjoy the sight of a wedge of geese in the sky, or two mockingbirds jumping up and down at each other, or hummingbirds shimmering in the face of garden flowers. So it isn't surprising that there should be a long history of bird observation, at first deeply imbued with folklore, then with religious interpretation, and finally with scientific rigor. In _The Wisdom of Birds: An Illustrated History of Ornithology_ (Bloomsbury), ornithologist Tim Birkhead has looked at aspects of bird behavior as we have come to understand it, from Aristotle to the present. Each of his chapters covers one topic, like migration, birdsong, or territory; and he goes back to the earliest understandings of each and brings us up to date. This is an exemplary way to look at one of humans' most admirable traits, the desire better to understand nature, and to see how much better we have gotten at it (and how much more we still have to learn). Birkhead is a witty teacher who can tell a good story to illustrate a point, in clear, prose without jargon. To emphasize the historic aspect of his book, his gorgeous illustrations of birds (even when referring to twentieth century experiments) are all from past centuries, showing how much attention different bird guides had given toward getting details right.

Birkhead introduces us to John Ray, who he considers the greatest of ornithologists. Ray (1622 - 1705) championed the remarkable innovation of getting out to hunt evidence down not in ancient books but in the field with his own eyes and ears.Read more ›
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26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Delightful history of science
By E. N. Anderson VINE VOICE on July 22, 2009
Format: Hardcover
History of science can be fun--this is a thoroughly enjoyable book. Tim Birkhead is a fine storyteller. He also makes the point, very well indeed, that biologists should know the history of their discipline. This not only lets them avoid reinventing the wheel; it also teaches how science develops and can develop.
As one who was lured from studying bird behavior to studying human behavior (anthropology) half a century ago, I loved reading about the controversies that were so exciting in those days--now ancient history. I briefly re-lived the excitement of seeing Lack triumph over Wynne-Edwards; back then in the 1950s, I was initially convinced by Wynne-Edwards but overwhelming evidence convinced me otherwise. If those names don't register, read this book! The controversy is still important.
Birkhead is very good on the history of bird song research. Birds learn their songs, with innate patterns guiding the process. When I was a student, this was new information--disproving the idea that birds are mindless automatons that act only through "instinct." Today, we realize that not only do birds learn a great deal; we know humans have many innate patterns shaping our learning. The old Cartesian nonsense about humans being purely creatures of reason, while "animals" are purely machines, was still around when I was a student. Thanks to real science, we know better, and the gap between people and birds has narrowed rather notably.
One thing though: Birkhead is a relentless individual-selection advocate. The book is strikingly silent on W. D. Hamilton's kin-selection research and its revolutionary effects on ornithology in the last 20 years. Birds are highly social, and calculate a great deal about how their behavior affects others in their kingroup.Read more ›
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Bird keepers and birders rejoice!
By Afan of Sitagyl Manor on November 8, 2010
Format: Hardcover
I am a bird keeper, bird photographer, and a world birder, and was enthralled by this fascinating and aesthetic book. The beautiful illustrations are just wonderful and very well chosen. A delicious read. I loved learning about the European bird catchers and training of singing birds, and about the strange old time beliefs about wild birds (barnacle geese, swallows hibernating underwater, etc). A great read if you are as obsessed with birds as I am. I hated to finish this book, I wanted more!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
As Complete As It Gets
By Patrick M. Burke on December 28, 2013
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
Having read Birkhead's "Bird Sense: What It's Like To Be A Bird," I knew that I was studying the research of a master ornithologist. "Wisdom" confirms that. Even if, like me, you were just bumping into a formal understanding of the study of avian life, You will find your world of bird watching grow. You will "get" the life of a bird, and not a little about other species such as mammals as well, for Wisdom of Birds is as much about biology in general as it is about ornithology, about the difference and historical antagonism between museum ornithologists, who saw themselves as the only experts on the subject of birds, and in-field bird watchers who saw the ornithologists subject up close, alive and personal. In Wisdom, we meet the line of scientists who contributed to our current knowledge, we see their mis-steps and victories and we end with a clearer realization of how the scientific method works.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Orni-theology
By Bruce Oksol VINE VOICE on June 24, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Wow, this is a great book. I happened to see it at the semi-annual Harvard Bookstore warehouse sale. I looked at it for quite some time before deciding to buy it.

I did not care for the pitch; it was a bit bigger than I generally care for and was probably chosen for the 45+ age group that are most likely to read this book.

But, I picked it up. It is a keeper. It is incredible. It is so enjoyable to read the history and I always appreciate it when the author is able to personalize it. This time, it's all about John Ray, 1600's, perhaps the "father of ornithology.

Strongly, strongly recommend for anyone with even the slightest interest in ornithology.
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