The Bird with Flaming Red Feet: Seasons with an Uncommonly Common Seabird

by Maria Ruth

Genres: Birds, Nonfiction, Nature, Wildlife, Science

208 pages, Paperback

Published March 19, 2026

Reviews

[Nancy Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly about the life of a Guillemoteer and the science supporting guillemot surveys.

[Marl · Rating 5 out of 5]

[4.5 stars rounded up]

“Some might question choosing a bird like the Pigeon Guillemot to study - a bird with an estimated global population of about 235,000, a bird that is not listed as "threatened" or "endangered," a bird not in any apparent need for urgent conservation actions. Yet studying a bird population in advance of any evident decline is a rare opportunity in scientific research. Often when a declining trend is detected, it's too late to reverse that trend. You might call this community science project proactive.”

A very enjoyable book that dives into the world of the pigeon guillemot, a playful shorebird that spends its breeding season in the US’s Oregon and Washington coastal bluffs. This book acts as both a breakdown of the pigeon guillemot’s ecology and the act and importance of citizen science in conservation. I live nowhere near the pigeon guillemots (SW Ohio), but I love this bird now. I really commend Ruth’s ability to describe the playfulness and personality that this species has. The guillemots feel like a character in and of themselves (without any anthropomorphization) and you understand why people love them so much. It gives an immediate heart to the story and makes you care about these birds whether or not you’ve ever seen one in the wild before.

Beyond the ecological information about the pigeon guillemot, this book is an ode to citizen science and both the community that develops in it and the pride towards your birds that grows out of it. Ruth interweaves personal anecdotes and her and her team’s own observations about certain behaviors of the bird along with the cited research. The harder facts describe what the most common fish are brought back to the chicks by the parents prior to fledging and what nutrients seem to be the most vital while Ruth’s stories visualize the speed at which the guillemots fly towards their bluffs, the frequency of these deliveries of fish (several times in a half hour!), and the struggle it is to identify which of the very small fish is in the parent’s mouth to record in their observations. I have read books recounting fieldwork/observation work towards animals by many different authors, but Ruth’s is the first to be totally about citizen science.

I like how the book takes the time to include some of the more basic, almost field-journal leaning information throughout the book. The breakdowns of what breeding plumage versus wintering plumage means for migratory birds and the difference between a call and a song in bird vocalization are two that come to mind. I think it fits in well with the author’s call to action about the importance of citizen science that exists throughout the book. I especially love the call she makes in this quote near the end of the book:

“Consider being a "one for all and all for one" kind of birder: One bird, one place, one community, and all the time you need to connect all three in a way that is meaningful for you and helpful to your bird” - Chapter 24

It’s important to get involved with conservation in any way that you can. A lot of the end of the book culminates on how the one hour a week per team of guillamoteers observing the birds and the information gathered during that time leads to direct conservation support towards the birds as well as providing necessary information to scientists in the area studying the species. I felt that this was the most impactful and important part of the book. Though not related to animals/nature, I’ve done volunteer work and I can attest to how important recordable impact is to the person volunteering. It is so vital for people to see the impact of their work and I think this book can really help people see the merit to getting involved in citizen science in that regard.

All together, this is an enchanting book about what most people must see as a simple, everyday shorebird during the summer months in the PNW. It is both a dive into a specific animal and the people who love it and a deeper call to look around at your local natural world and find something to fall in love with and involve yourself in. Highly recommended (also, I have no where else to fit this into but I love the use of the guillemot’s vocalizations as part of the chapter titles. So cute and creative).

[Shawn B · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up. Huge thank you to the Mountaineers for the advance copy of this book. As a former resident of the Puget Sound it was a delight to draw on my memories of the beaches, bluffs and trails of the South Sound.

“The Bird with the Flaming Red Feet” is a wonderful read teaching about many of the traits of the Pigeon Guillemot. Starting with different types of sea birds and nesting traits, the full cycle of activity at the nesting grounds, and some background on their overwintering activity. One interesting chapter was about the history of seabirds in art and stories.

I enjoyed learning about the community science approach and how that fuels the regional, state and national science of sea birds. It all makes me wish I still lived nearby so I could join a birding team. I do wish the bird photos and art were in color but otherwise great additions.

There are also details on basics related to birding and how to go about learning more by leveraging online resources for many different species of birds. All in all an interesting and educational read especially for those along the West Coast and Puget Sound.

[Katheryn Haskell · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun and inspiring read! As a passive birder, I loved this so much, and I would love to go see these birds some day.

You can tell this book is very well researched,even without the bibliography in the back. There's references to all kinds of sources, and it's very informative (even when the information is we have very little information). I enjoyed the layout of the book, the chapters were broken down really nicely and it was easy to follow along and retain information. A tad repetitive at times, but for someone who has a harder time remembering small details, it would probably be good for them. It's so interesting learning about the cycle of these birds chronologically.

I will say, the most exciting parts are definitely the first hand accounts. They made me feel like part of the community, almost like I could have been there. I went to the Macaulay Library after this to look and listen to all the sounds, and I definitely recommend that, it adds so much when you can see and hear stuff as well.

Overall, I don't think this book is for everyone, someone who isn't into birds or animal facts isn't going to have fun with this. But if you like birds, are a birder, so are even slightly interested in aquatic sea life, definitely a good one!!

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful book! Never heard of the pigeon guillemot or its remarkable color - reddish orange web feet and mouth. It is quite lovely and to open an ebook to such a beautiful picture of a pair -wow, I knew I had found a good read.

The book is part memoir of the author’s evolution to a “birder” when she got engaged in a community science project. It’s almost a natural history book as it blends personal stories with scientific facts. I learned a lot about this bird and appreciated that conservationists are around to care for nature’s creatures. After reading The Feather Wars by James H. McCommons, bird extinction is not good for the environment.

Some of the things I learned I found fascinating include the bird’s name. The pigeon guillemot name is kind of a misnomer. The bird is part of the alcid grouping and is related to auks (think puffins). They look nothing like this classification having instead more of a pigeon-shaped body - hence why that appears in their name. The second part too is only because that relates to alcids in classification. I’m kind of a geek for this stuff. The bird is a shoreline bird and can be found up northern Pacific and Southern California.

One thing about this book is its descriptions of the bird’s life, habitat and other things in nature that support it. It was kind of relaxing reading about this and makes one realize we need to stop and “smell the coffee” from time to time.

I thought this book was very heartfelt. The author’s exuberance for this minor bird is a delight to read - how many of us enjoy something and never get to share it? I’m glad the author shared hers.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Mountaineer Books for sharing this ARC with me.

[Hannah Buschert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maria Mudd Ruth's The Bird with Flaming Red Feet was a fun, interesting read detailing her experience participating in Pigeon Guillemot surveys along the Washington coast. I have to admit that it was the title and cover that attracted me to this read. I often wonder how someone could write a 200+ page book about a single bird species, but Ruth has done that and it was an enjoyable, informative book that will appeal to anyone interested in birds, wildlife, science, conservation, or general outdoors.

This species is near and dear to my heart as I volunteer educating the public on this and other seabirds along the Oregon coast. I learned so much in reading her book that I will pass on to others!

Thank you Guillemoteers for your hard work on and off the beach to learn more about this beautiful species. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

[AnnieM · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book about Pigeon Guillemots in Puget Sound. As a volunteer, the author became more and more passionate about observing this bird, helping study their habitat and habits as well as other birds nearby. I learned a lot about this species of bird by reading this book but I also learned and appreciated the importance of "citizen scientists" to observe and be respectful of nature. By monitoring the birds habits and counting them, we have data that will help understand the impact of climate change on these birds and others as well as actions we must take to protect them. A powerful book for those interested in birds or even just learning more about the beauty around us. Hopefully it will inspire all of us to take more notice of nature around us.

Thank you to Netgalley and Mountaineers Books for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.

[Marina Richie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book about one showy bird--the Pigeon Guillemot. Author Maria Ruth Mudd writes with wit, humor, and years of field experience as a volunteer "guillemoteer" surveying nesting birds. Her research is impressive, as is her ability to seamlessly shift from science to memorable imagery that makes me feel like I'm right there with her on a beach of the Puget Sound as the birds fly back and forth from nesting burrows. As a fellow author who went deep with one kind of bird (the belted kingfisher), I felt a special kinship with Maria and all those early mornings, the puzzling quest to find the right nesting hole, and endless questions and curiosity.

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a bad book: just not my thing. I found it rather boring, other than the parts pertaining to the Washington locale. I have a bachelor's degree in Zoology; to me this book seemed like reading a textbook.

[Meghan]

Delightful!

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note to self - not a reread.

[Bob PearSON · Rating 5 out of 5]

the pigeon guillemot has a new fan

[Marcia McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating information about the pigeon guillemot!