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The Wisdom of Birds: An Illustrated History of Ornithology
 
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The Wisdom of Birds: An Illustrated History of Ornithology (Hardcover)

by Tim R. Birkhead (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
RRP: £25.00
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Product details

  • Hardcover: 448 pages
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (6 Oct 2008)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 074759256X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0747592563
  • Product Dimensions: 24 x 18.4 x 4.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 41,168 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #52 in  Books > Sports, Hobbies & Games > Fishing, Birdwatching & Other Outdoor Pursuits > Birdwatching
    #52 in  Books > Science & Nature > Biological Sciences > Animal Sciences > Birds

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Product Description

Review
`... one of the most entertaining, informative and enthusiastic accounts of the history of ornithology' --Daily Telegraph

Review
`Tim Birkhead's wonderful book The Wisdom of Birds explores themes such as migration and almost every other facet of avian science.'


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Customer Reviews

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Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars The Knowledge of Birds, 9 Feb 2009
By Steve Keen "therealus" (Herts, UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   
Reviewing Martin Rudwick's Bursting the Limits of Time, about the early days of geology and palaeontology, I speculated as to the origins of another science, ornithology, hazarding that it similarly was based upon a wealth of local knowledge brought together and systemised by the protoscientists of the day, or savants, as Rudwick calls them. Tim Birkhead, in The Wisdom Of Birds, appears to confirm this premise.

Using as his starting point the 16th Century ornithologist John Ray, Birkhead describes how ornithology developed from folklore and superstition into a coherent science. Ray's own book, The Wisdom Of God, provides Birkhead's title, although it is knowledge rather than wisdom which is shown accumulating. As with the sciences dealt with by Rudwick, some knowledge originates from the museum, some from commerce (poultry farmers and hunters), some from what we may call hobbyists (bird keepers) and, eventually, from savants in the field, and like the early geologists, such ornithologists were considered strange birds indeed at first. Far better, some felt, to send a minion out to catch the birds and bring them into the museum than actually sully oneself doing it personally. There is an account of how Ray and his partner Willughby travelled Europe assembling their knowledge-base and library, as did the early geologists, and coincidentally a number of the other people namechecked include some mentioned by Rudwick, most notably the Comte de Buffon and Georges Cuvier.

The account commences, naturally, with the egg, and moves on through chapters dealing with bird intelligence, migration, breeding and territory, and birdsong and its significance. There are chapters on sex, which tackles the question of parthenogenesis - virgin birth - which is due to the female bird, unlike the female mammal, being heterogametic (they have two chromosomes), infidelity (which is one of the areas where modern knowledge parts company with Darwin in confirming that females as well as males will take multiple partners) and lifespan. In this final section the author raises a very interesting point: apart from in a cage, birds showing the signs of age are never seen. They either look hail and hearty or they're dead.

Throughout the work Birkhead has found some beautiful pictures to illustrate his point, although this is also one of a number of sources of frustration, as often there is very little advantage taken of them, or explanatory comment, as for example where a picture appears of a bird looking remarkably like a Northern Cardinal but labelled in its 17th Century setting as a Virginian Nightingale, with no covering narrative, including why this North American bird should appear on a page accompanied by five European birds (four finches and a sparrow).

Other minor annoyances are in the references to early ornithologists without acknowledgement (or otherwise) of their contributions to the naming of birds, as in Thomas Bewick (Bewick's Swan, amongst others), two Temminks (which, if either, gave his name to the Temmink's Stint?) and George Montagu (Montagu's Harrier, I assume). These are the kinds of trivia which sometimes provide the extra colour to such books as this. There is also a reference to Julian Huxley studying the courtship behaviour of Great Crested Grebes with his brother, but which one? Was it Andrew (actually his half brother), or the rather more well-known Aldous, author of Brave New World and himself once destined for a life in science, ultimately thwarted by bad eyesight?

Nevertheless, although there are plenty of wide open goals that Birkhead has missed here, the result is still an excellent book.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Wisdom of Birds, 15 Feb 2009
This book tells what we (humans) have learned about birds over the centuries. It is an excellent and lucid examination of Man's wisdom, or sometimes lack of it. Tim Birkhead is an academic who can communicate brilliantly with the ordinary reader. From bird intelligence, migration, physiology to reproduction, the author covers a wide range of material. The illustrations also are terrific. A 'must have' book for all bird lovers with any wisdom at all!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!, 3 Feb 2009
By Ms. Talitha S. Hatcher "fantastic!" (England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Hi!

I recently bought this book for my Dad who is an avid bird fan and he absolutely loved it! He was fascinated by the excellent illustrations and interesting in depth information and stories provided. I would recommend it to anyone as he was best pleased! I am one happy customer!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Wisdom of Birds; An Illustrated History of Ornithology
A brilliant book, well written with humour and insight.
A must for anyone who is really serious about birds.
Published 1 month ago by 120 SQN

5.0 out of 5 stars The Wisdom of Birds indeed!
This is an excellent work enriched with a wonderful array of mostly colour illustrations drawn from a wide range of historical sources. Highly recommended.

JQ
Published 5 months ago by John Quenby

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