The Physics of Birds and Birding

Birding has become one of the world’s most popular pastimes for good reason. The vibrant colors, aerial finesse, and vocal talents of birds draw us to nature, stimulate our admiration and pique our curiosity. We cannot help but have questions as we encounter these elegant creatures. How do iridescent feathers seemingly glow? What must a hummingbird do to hover? How does a tiny animal produce all that music? By what means do some birds sense Earth’s magnetic field and use it for navigation? Why is it that peering through a few pieces of glass can make a distant bird seem so close? Such enquiry brings us to the realm of physics. The Physics of Birds and Birding sets out to blaze the best possible trail through this landscape. It steers clear complex technical specialization, while avoiding overused paths that lead to unsatisfying, facile explanations. It is a guide not just to the fascinating science of birds and birding, but to the deeper connections that tie all of nature together. Birders and naturalists from all backgrounds will find much of interest here – both in terms of mysteries they’ve long wondered about, as well as some surprising linkages among what is seemingly unrelated. This unique and remarkable book is an invitation to appreciate what you might not have been seeing all along.

Birding has become one of the world’s most popular pastimes for good reason. The vibrant colors, aerial finesse, and vocal talents of birds draw us to nature, stimulate our admiration and pique our curiosity. We cannot help but have questions as we encounter these elegant creatures. How do iridescent feathers seemingly glow? What must a hummingbird do to hover? How does a tiny animal produce all that music? By what means do some birds sense Earth’s magnetic field and use it for navigation? Why is it that peering through a few pieces of glass can make a distant bird seem so close? Such enquiry brings us to the realm of physics. The Physics of Birds and Birding sets out to blaze the best possible trail through this landscape. It steers clear complex technical specialization, while avoiding overused paths that lead to unsatisfying, facile explanations. It is a guide not just to the fascinating science of birds and birding, but to the deeper connections that tie all of nature together. Birders and naturalists from all backgrounds will find much of interest here – both in terms of mysteries they’ve long wondered about, as well as some surprising linkages among what is seemingly unrelated. This unique and remarkable book is an invitation to appreciate what you might not have been seeing all along.