This blog is another addition to my very occasionally series of bird book reviews, this time featuring the excellent “Around the World in 80 Birds” by Mike Unwin.
So why excellent? Well its quite unique and very different to your average bird identification book of which there are many good publications and a few bad!
As the name suggests, the author takes us on an around the world tour of his favourite birds. What makes this book different is the rich and well written content focusing not just on a description of the bird but the human history, culture and tradition including local myths and current status.
I found the myths and legends around bird migration particularly fascinating including the now astounding belief that Swallows hibernated at the bottom of a pond! For instance did you know that the first clue as to the mystery of migrating birds annual disappearance occurred in the autumn of 1822 when a white Stork appeared in the north German town of Klutz with an African arrow in its neck. Amazingly another 25 storks, know in German as pfeilstorche or “arrow storks” have been documented! Perhaps their predilection for nesting alongside people is why the Stork has been long celebrated in culture whether as a mythical pilgrim to Mecca or the fabled deliverer of babies.
The chapter on Ravens shines light on its undeserved sinister reputation reflected everywhere from Shakespeare to horror movies . This apparently stems from its taste for carrion, particularly battlefield corpses! Ever since it was built in the eleventh century the tower on London is said to collapse if its resident Ravens leave. During world war 2 Churchill was apparently so worried about this that he imported 6 captive Ravens to replace those lost in the Blitz.
Further afield the chapter on the Superb Bird of Paradise from Papua New Guinea, a bird definitely on my bucket list, told me that when european explorers first encountered their skins they were told by locals that these birds have no legs but float around the heavens living of dew before eventually falling to earth – a myth that persisted for more than 150 years!
The book is much enhanced by Ryuto Miyake’s beautiful drawings done in a traditional water colour style. I love his drawing of a Superb Bird of Paradise displaying to a female. When he encounters a potential mate he erects his breast shield which is a triangle of iridescent blue and fans his nape plumes in a perfect eclipse just like a jet black cape . He then bows his head making his face vanish being replaced by to bright glowing crown spots. All dressed up he then proceeds to do a bobbing dance while snaping his tail feathers like clicking fingers – shear magic.
For the addicted birder and non-birder alike this is a truly enchanting and captivating view into the lives and myths surrounding 80 wonderful birds. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Interesting book and sounds very different from the usual. I like the idea of illustrations rather than photographs.
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