How Birds Behave by Sharon Sorenson

How Birds Behave

by Sharon Sorenson

A well-documented, beautifully photographed, year-long daily account of what common backyard bird species do and how their behaviors change over the course of a year. Guided by an experienced birder, you'll know what to look for and how to attract and observe birds in your own backyard and by watching and chronicling how they behave, you'll begin to understand them better. You'll see how their actions change season to season, month to month, sometimes day to day. By peeking into their secret lives and unraveling the mysteries of their daily behavior you'll find your bird-viewing pleasure enriched.

Reviewed by annieb123 on

4 of 5 stars

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Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

How Birds Behave is a year long diary documented by Sharon Sorenson. Due out 1st Feb 2020 from Rowman & Littlefield on their Stackpole imprint, it's 424 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This charming book is arranged chronologically throughout a year of bird watching and interaction. It's written in a chatty and personal style, peppered with the author's small encounters with the local birds in her garden. The book is also liberally sprinkled with photographs showing the birds in situ and interacting, eating, etc.

This is not an in-depth scientific journal, there is no taxonomy involved, and the author uses the local common names for the species she encounters as well as chatty entries about the weather, local plants and conditions at the time. I found it charming and very interesting, readers looking for education about specific species in a more scientific way will likely be disappointed.

The book does include an extensive cross referenced index with entries about specific species she mentions as well as people and bird behaviors.

I found myself opening up and reading this one when I was sitting by my 'bird TV' window watching 'my' birds at our feeding stations. It's a very warmly, compassionately, and enthusiastically written book by a long time bird watcher.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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  • 17 January, 2020: Reviewed