On Rare Birds: A Lamentation On Natural History’S Extinct And Endangered

by Anita Albus, Anita Albus

On Rare Birds is an endearing compilation of the history and extinction of several bird species, along with detailed accounts of many rare birds. Award-winning writer Anita Albus combines her education in natural history with investigative reporting, transforming each bird's tale into a captivating combination of culture, mythology, science, and lyrical storytelling.

Illustrated with stunning avian portraits throughout, it tells the compelling stories of ten rare or extinct bird species—from the tragic demise of the once-abundant Passenger Pigeon to the shooting death of the last Carolina Parakeet in the wild, and from the startling natural defenses of the “willful Nightjar” to the diverse cultural significance of the Kingfisher. Some stories bear sad witness to precious species we have lost, but they are all fascinating and often heartwarming or humorous depictions of the unique lives and loves of birds. 
With knowledge, devotion, and a true artist’s eye, Albus explains in graceful, precise prose why the decline of these bird species is a great loss both to the natural world and, unavoidably, to culture. With each species lost, a world is lost to human understanding—to our arts, our mythology, and our environment.

Genres: Nonfiction, Birds, Natural History, Nature

288 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2010

Reviews

[Joseph Coverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author's drawing and paintings of the birds in question are beautiful and almost worth grabbing this book at a used book store and turning through the pages.

The pros were a bit mechanical and I dont know if that was due to the English language translation or the scientific nature of the writing.

It has also led me down a unique path of thinking around a human's involvement in modern evolution and Survival of the fittest.

[Christopher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uneven mix of ornithology, bird lore, folklore, conservation, and history. At times the description of a species's life cycle is very scientific, but just as often a chapter is ruined by anthropomorphic depictions of mating behavior. Many very beautiful illustrations, historic and contemporary, liven the text, including several by the author (who is a much better artist than writer). I did learn that Edward Lear ("The Owl and the Pussycat") was a prominent bird illustrator, active around the time that John James Audubon was completing "Birds of America", and had a species named after him--"Lear's Macaw"; several of his illustrations are included in the book.

[John Wesley-Barker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely produced, drawings well printed and executed. Subject matter is harrowing. But associated histories throw incisive understandings of how we humans can kill off species resulting in extinctions. Makes me wonder, how diversity must we lose before we change our ways?
For anyone with an interest in birds and how we might protect those still with us, this book offer further understanding.
I enjoyed the book.

[Ashli Cooper · Rating 2 out of 5]

Painfully boring descriptions of such an interesting topic. I had to force myself to finish it over a looong period of time.

[Josh Friers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good quick chapters on bird species. It didn't get into the weeds with details and preachyness.

[Stuart Moodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit uneven. Some excellent essays on various bird species either extinct or threatened and some that are a bit odd - anthropomorphic and whimsical.

[Stan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ornithology, history, and environmentalism as an overarching theme of "birds driven to extinction" began to lose focus with commentaries on birds as symbols in culture, the unevenness of naming conventions before and during the adoption of the Linnaean system, and the accuracy of species before photography through illustrations -- including some of the author's own paintings -- this started getting too whimsical, ultimately a written-for-the-amusement-of-the-author kind of book.

[David R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The artwork is beautiful, but the writing is a little off. I didn't quite understand the selections: some chapters are concerned with definite rare species, but others seem less probable, at least on my side of the pond. And the essays themselves are not that engaging. And finally, a fine essay by the naturalist Buffon is pasted, almost inexplicably, following the afterward. Overall, this one is an odd addition to the natural history library.

[Louise Jennison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Especially enjoyed the early chapters on specific species.

[Dayna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pictures are photos were lovely, the text much less so. It did not engage me as much as I thought it would. I do not know if this is a fault of translation or of the original text.

[Terri · Rating 2 out of 5]

interesting facts and stories of rare birds. Beautiful old paintings of said birds. Some of the writings seem quite funny and odd, I don't know if it is the translations from German or the changes in the biological studies of birds.