The Courage of Birds: And the Often Surprising Ways They Survive Winter

by Pete Dunne, David Allen Sibley (illustrator)

From our own backyards to the rim of the Arctic ice, countless birds have adapted to meet the challenges of the winter season. This is their remarkable story, told by award-winning birder and acclaimed writer Pete Dunne, accompanied by illustrations from renowned artist and birder David Sibley.



Despite the seasonal life-sapping cold, birds have evolved strategies that meet winter’s vicissitudes head on, driven by the imperative to make it to spring and pass down their genes to the next generation. The drama of winter and the resilience and adaptability of birds witnessed in the harsher months of the calendar is both fascinating and astonishing.



In The Courage of Birds , Pete Dunne—winner of the American Birding Association’s Roger Tory Peterson Award for lifetime achievement in promoting the cause of birding—chronicles the behavior of the birds of North America. He expertly explores widespread adaptations, such as feathers that protect against the cold, and unpacks the unique migration patterns and survival strategies of individual species. Dunne also addresses the impact of changing climatic conditions on avian longevity and recounts personal anecdotes that soar with a naturalist’s gimlet eye.



Filled with unforgettable facts, wit, and moving observations on the natural world, Dunne’s book is for everyone; from the serious birder who tracks migration patterns, to the casual birder who logs daily reports on eBird, to the backyard observer who throws a handful of seed out for the Northern Cardinals and wonders how the birds magically appear in the garden when temperatures begin to fall.



Praise for Pete Dunne



“Dunne’s prose is lyrical, sensitive, and full of feeling.”



—Ted Floyd, editor, Birding 



“Pete is arguably North America’s best and best-known birder—and he’s also a terrific writer.”



—Scott Shalaway, author and former syndicated nature columnist



Praise for David Sibley



“There are 47 million birdwatchers. But there is only one David Sibley. . . . He is a boon to both the birding world and the art world.”



—The National Audubon Society



“[His] exacting artwork and wide-ranging expertise bring observed behaviors vividly to life.”



—Birdwatching

Genres: Birds, Nonfiction, Nature, Science, Natural History, Animals, Art

192 pages, Hardcover

Published October 31, 2024

Reviews

[Alex Champagne · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little disappointed with this book, as I’ve always enjoyed Pete Dunne’s books in the past. This book is a little scattered and at times, repetitive. Overall, although nuggets of information are there, this book doesn’t provide an overarching, organized framework of how birds survive in the winter. It probably works better as a quick reference guide for selected species. The illustrations by David Sibley are beautiful.

[Lucy Cummin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could wax more enthusiastic -- Dunne is clearly deeply knowledgeable and utterly smitten and absorbed in anything/everything to do with birds. I imagine being on a tour with him, say, would be a delight. I would also guess that some editor tore his/her hair out trying to figure out how to help Dunne organize the information and gave up. However, it is very very birdlike, the text darting here and there as Dunne remembers an experience, or pulls out a tidbit of cached information that is tangentially related there, shifting the pace from lists to anecdotes to meditations. There's a good bit of repetition but no matter,it's a pleasant read and you do end up with an understanding that birds deal with winter in a staggeringly wide variety of ways. That's a great survival strategy overall, because whatever happens next to this planet, some birds will survive somehow, somewhere. ***

[Mike Clay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would be best for a beginning birder, or someone who enjoys nature. For those who have read other birding books (Weidensaul, Bernd Heinrich, Zickefoose, Marina Richie etc) this book may not offer much new content.

Most of the content here I am very familiar with as an experienced expert birder, but I still enjoyed the book. Although the writing wanders off on tangents a bit and is sometimes repetitive, Mr. Dunne tells about adaptations of birds for winter survival. He covers (briefly) feathers, other cold-defying behaviors such as roosting, camouflage, food strategy, etc. Most essays are brief and sometimes stray from the subject of winter. In the largest section, he covers selected species: Arctic Tern, Northern Wheatear, Bar-tailed Godwit (long-distance migrants), American Black Duck, Harlequin Duck, Rock Ptarmigan, American Goshawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Purple Sandpiper, Northern Gannet, Common Poorwill, Anna's Hummingbird, Virginia Rail, Downy Woodpecker, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, American Dipper, Canada Jay, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Yellow-rumped Warbler, McKay's bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Black-capped Chickadee (other chickadees covered in this section), Sparrows including white-crowned, juncos, American tree, towhees, and finally house sparrow (which is actually a weaver finch). This section often repeats the material he covered earlier in the book, and much of the material is of course covered in any book about bird behaviors.

An appendix classifies 671 species according to resident/migrant. A one page bibliography includes websites (allaboutbirds.org) and Peterson's 1934 field guide! An epilogue outlines his June 21, 2001 visit to Eclipse Sound, Qukiktaaluk north of Baffin Island as thousands of eiders and ducks waited for the late spring to thaw.

[Dan Watts · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of those books whose biggest problem is its misleading title.

I was expecting a book that focused on how birds find food, keep warm, and adapt to the increasingly extreme conditions of winter, including recent findings by researchers.

Instead, it's a mish-mash of anecdotes, birdwatching tips, bird feeding tips, a recent bird count by the author and his friends, and an exhaustive list of birds that can be found in winter throughout North America.

There are some interesting bits, but if the book had been given the more accurate and bland title of Winter Birds of North America then I wouldn't have bothered reading it.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sorry to say…this was a bit disappointing. As a long-time birder who’s read extensively about birds, this book didn’t offer much that was new. Some of it was very basic ‘intro to birds’ stuff. Also, the author sometimes presents as facts what would better be considered theories. If they are indeed facts, the author needs to cite his sources. The bibliography is thin. For a reader with a casual interest in birds, this would be an enjoyable book. The illustrations are excellent. My favorite is the junco on page 66. This book like that drawing is just a bit of fluff.

[Peg Lotvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third "season" book Pete has written. It's been a while since the Spring and Summer editions were published. The Winter edition has lost something. It is choppy and half-hearted from beginning to end. Not all is lost though, Dunne does talk about how many birds manage to get through each winter either by changing their eating habits, growing heavier feathers, and finally by migrating.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a birdwatcher i was thrilled to spot this at my local library in new Zealand. But unfortunately it's a big disappointment for me.

It should be called The Courage of NORTH AMERICAN Birds. Far too narrow a focus.

I was hoping for more science and maybe some diagrams of HOW birds survive winter.

As others have said the organisation is odd and i really struggled to get through it. 😔

[Bronwyn Echols · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only part way into the book and have found already two pretty significant goofs: page 22, the Blackpoll Warbler weighs 0.46 ounce, not 46 ounce[s], per Sibley; and page 15, feathers are constructed of KERATIN, not carotin (which doesn't exist), though feathers may be colored with carotenoids. I did finish, though ended up skimming a lot owing to the amount of repetition. I appreciate the author's enthusiasm for birds and his encouragement of bird-conservation practices, but I do most sincerely wish that he had given his manuscript to even a adequately competent editor!!!!

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pete Dunne's book of birding gives us a good sense of why birds do what they do, and how we feel watching them. The structure loosely revolves around the birding experiences he's had. The writing is great, though Dunne relies on a few verbs to describe birds a little too much. But I'd rather his lively prose than some of the other more bland offerings I've encountered.

A nice read.

[Jeff DeShon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good informational book about bird survival in the winter. A little too clinical for my tastes. Would have preferred to see the inclusion of more author stories about lifetime events and interactions with birds.

[Martha · Rating 2 out of 5]

The topics are fine. However the pronunciation of the narrator is horrendous. Gila with hard g and the accent on the wrong syllable in archipelago. More science training for narrators who ought to at least look up these words (editors where are you?).

[Taryn Hipp · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title is a bit misleading. I was expecting a more poetic tale of wintering birds. This was very informative but at times chaotic & reparative. It did inspire me though to make my yard more inviting for wintering birds.

[Goldie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author clearly has a wealth of knowledge, but this book desperately needed an editor. The organization was lacking and it didn't seem to follow a consistent theme. I was also distracted by all the grammatical errors (too many dangling participles, fragments and apostrophe errors to count).

[Jerry Hillyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of interesting bird stuff, but I'm not so sure the title lines up well with the content. I don't think birds are courageous for doing what comes naturally. I'm probably closer to 3.5.

[Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some great info here, but the lack of an organizing principle made for scattered reading.

[Emily Bragg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tiny bit repetitive across a couple sections, but interesting content and whimsical writing

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take this enjoyable journey with Pete Dunne.

[Marina Richie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the great pleasure of reviewing this book and my blurb appears on the back cover:

Pete Dunne’s keen and vivid prose, paired with David Allen Sibley’s graceful illustrations, transforms our relationship with birds in winter. Every page offers a dazzling feat of survival. Deftly weaving behaviors with a lifetime of personal stories, the legendary author inspires us to give back to birds that brighten our lives. This book will become a well-worn companion with a special place on my desk overlooking feeders and native plants.”

—Marina Richie, author of Halcyon Journey, winner of the 2024 John Burroughs Medal for distinguished nature writing

[Rainier C · Rating 5 out of 5]

pretty neat

[Anne Mcdavid · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are into birds!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of essays more than a book but complimentary, with some minor repetitions.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Multiple copy edit errors

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 3.5

[Megan Sanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of short sections and chapters - was nice to read in the morning with breakfast!