Songbird Journeys Four Seasons In the Lives of Migratory Birds

by Chu, Miyoko

• ISBN13: 9780802714688
• ISBN10: 0802714684
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-03-07
• Publisher: Walker Books

Summary

Miyoko Chuis an ornithologist and staff science writer at the internationally recognized Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. She is editor of the Lab'sBirdscopenewsletter and assistant editor ofLiving Birdmagazine. Chu earned a Ph.D. in integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley, where she provided insights on the enigmatic migratory behavior of a southwestern bird, the phainopepla. She lives in Ithaca, New York, with her husband and two children. This is her first book. One of the world's most extraordinary wildlife migrations passes within hundred of feet of our own neighborhoods--the biannual night flights of millions of songbirds. By dawn, these colorful migrants descend to our backyards, urban parks, and forests, either to replenish themselves for the rest of their trip or to settle in for the summer and raise their young.Songbird Journeysis the first book devoted to songbird migration. Until recently, little was known about the lives of songbirds during their autumn and spring travels or in their winter habitats. Aided by modern technology, however, scientists have documented mass migrations over the Gulf of Mexico, identified the voices of migrants in the night sky, and showed how songbirds navigate using stars, polarized light, and magnetic fields. Miyoko Chu explores the intricacies underlying the ebb and flow of migration, the cycle of seasons, and the interconnectedness between distant places.Songbird Journeyspays homage to the wonder and beauty of songbirds while revealing the remarkable lives of migratory birds and the scientific quest to answer age-old questions about where songbirds go, how they get there, and what they do in the far-flung places they inhabit throughout the year. "Everyone interested in birds, and even people who know little about them, will enjoySongbird Journeysbecause it allows you to experience birds. It is sprinkled with sparkling anecdotes that give visceral contact and meaning to the biology of one of the planet's most epic marvels--migration, much of which has been unraveled only in the last half century."--Bernd Heinrich, author ofThe Geese of Beaver Bog "By mixing crisp writing with patient explanation, Miyoko Chu has produced something rare--a book that offers something for both expert ornithologists and backyard bird lovers. ReadSongbird Journeysand learn about the miracle of bird migration."--Mark Obmascik, author ofThe Big Year "InSongbird Journeys, Miyoko Chu captures both the sweep and the drama of bird migration, whether through the raw thrill of an airborne biologist following thrushes into the jaws of violent thunderstorms, or the patience of a scientist unraveling the winter life of a warbler in the tropics. And along with such compelling stories, Chu interleaves suggestions for how to enjoy the migration firsthand--where to go, what to look for, even how to use weather radar to watch for clouds of migrant birds, or how to join a research project. Songbird Journeys is that rare book that mingles passion, beauty, and science into a surprising, fascinating whole."--Scott Weidensaul, author ofLiving on the Wind "Songbird Journeysis one of the best bird books ever, filled with solid and current scientific information while beautifully expressing what it is about birds that touches our minds and hearts. A satisfying read on every level."--Laura Erickson, author of101 Ways to Help Birds "Each spring, millions of orioles, tanagers, thrushes, warblers and other songbirds travel thousands of miles from the tropi