Read Birdology: Adventures With A Pack Of Hens, A Peck Of Pigeons, Cantankerous Crows, Fierce Falcons, Hip Hop Parrots, Baby Hummingbirds, And One Murderously Big Living Dinosaur (2010)
Birdology: Adventures With A Pack Of Hens, A Peck Of Pigeons, Cantankerous Crows, Fierce Falcons, Hip Hop Parrots, Baby Hummingbirds, And One Murderously Big Living Dinosaur (2010) - Plot & Excerpts
I had read Montgomery's book on the tigers of the Sunderbans years ago(one remark I still remember is how she suddenly realized that she herself was "meat") and thought it was wonderful. With this one I have a much greater appreciation for chickens but I still don't understand the purpose of falconry even though that section was fascinating, and I don't think I'd put up with all that discomfort just to see a cassowary in the wild. The book really demonstrated to me just how remarkable Montgomery is! Sy Montgomery gives a lot of bird lore in this book, and every chapter has its own fascination. The chapters on Hawks and Cassowarys had their points of interest, but the chapters I liked best were the ones on Chickens, Crows, Humming Birds and Parrots.Chickens have held more interest for me since my wife started keeping chickens about 3 years ago. They are smarter and more individual than you think, and lots of fun to watch. The bunch we have now were purchased this spring, 6 of them ranging in age from 5 days to 2 weeks. Watching them grow has been fun, but none are as loaded with personality as Molly, one of their predecessors who was killed by a weasel last year.Montgomery's chapter on chickens is delightful. She has a small flock she refers to as The Ladies. She has a tenant on her acreage who also has a small flock-The Rangers. The two flocks get along like oil and water.The parrot and pigeon chapters narrate experiences the author had with these breeds and tell about recent scientific studies on them. Birds experience a wider color spectrum than humans, and trained parrots sometimes have problems picking out what humans call orange. When all 'orange' objects were painted the same shade, the problem went away.The chapter on crows was nearly as interesting as the one on chickens. Both are familiar to most anyone, but there are surprises to be found. Montgomery talks about the family bonds in crows and the wintertime crow roosts. She also quotes a friend who is a poet who has written about crows. I've done a poem or two on crows myself so this added interest. (My only copies were lost in a house fire in 1996, I've tried to re-write these several times-the inspiration isn't there.)All in all, a good book and an author I'll return to.
What do You think about Birdology: Adventures With A Pack Of Hens, A Peck Of Pigeons, Cantankerous Crows, Fierce Falcons, Hip Hop Parrots, Baby Hummingbirds, And One Murderously Big Living Dinosaur (2010)?
Each chapter is about a different kind of bird. Funny, interesting, loved this.
—geo
Interesting, but the narration bordered on "know it all" at times.
—kel
