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The Story of Birds: A New History from Their Dinosaur Origins to the Present
From the renowned paleontologist and bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, a sweeping evolutionary history of birds, from their dinosaur origins to the 14,000 extraordinary species alive today.
Tens of billions of birds share the planet with us, an astonishingly diverse array of species that are present nearly everywhere humans call home—and many places we do not. With their flamboyant plumage, joyous dawn serenades, extraordinary aerial feats, they have captivated human imagination for millennia. Undeniably delicate creatures with hollow bones and thin skin protected by downy feathers, how did such a seemingly fragile species break the bounds of Earth and begin to fly, how have they survived millennia, and how does their legacy shape our world?
Hailed as “one of the stars of modern paleontology” (National Geographic), Brusatte begins his quest to the tell the story of birds by exploring how dinosaurs gradually developed the trademark features of birds one-by-one—feathers, wings, beaks, big brains, keen senses, and warm-blooded metabolisms. He investigates why birds were the only dinosaurs to survive the cataclysmic asteroid impact 66 million years ago and chronicles how these survivors rapidly proliferated in a barren landscape to produce the huge diversity of avian species we know today.
Along the way, we meet a variety of remarkable – now extinct – species:
• 10-foot-tall terror birds with beaks that sliced flesh
• 1.5-ton elephant birds that lived on Madagascar and laid eggs the size of footballs
• Pelagornithid seabirds with 20-foot wingspans
• A ferocious Jamaican ibis that used its wings as clubs to attack rivals
Yet, Brusatte also urges us to appreciate the extraordinariness of birds alive today – penguins that literally fly underwater, parrots that can mimic human speech and hummingbirds that hover mid-air and dive at 50 miles per hour.
A fascinating scientific history that unearths the origins of birds, The Story of Birds establishes the living legacy of this remarkable species.
Tens of billions of birds share the planet with us, an astonishingly diverse array of species that are present nearly everywhere humans call home—and many places we do not. With their flamboyant plumage, joyous dawn serenades, extraordinary aerial feats, they have captivated human imagination for millennia. Undeniably delicate creatures with hollow bones and thin skin protected by downy feathers, how did such a seemingly fragile species break the bounds of Earth and begin to fly, how have they survived millennia, and how does their legacy shape our world?
Hailed as “one of the stars of modern paleontology” (National Geographic), Brusatte begins his quest to the tell the story of birds by exploring how dinosaurs gradually developed the trademark features of birds one-by-one—feathers, wings, beaks, big brains, keen senses, and warm-blooded metabolisms. He investigates why birds were the only dinosaurs to survive the cataclysmic asteroid impact 66 million years ago and chronicles how these survivors rapidly proliferated in a barren landscape to produce the huge diversity of avian species we know today.
Along the way, we meet a variety of remarkable – now extinct – species:
• 10-foot-tall terror birds with beaks that sliced flesh
• 1.5-ton elephant birds that lived on Madagascar and laid eggs the size of footballs
• Pelagornithid seabirds with 20-foot wingspans
• A ferocious Jamaican ibis that used its wings as clubs to attack rivals
Yet, Brusatte also urges us to appreciate the extraordinariness of birds alive today – penguins that literally fly underwater, parrots that can mimic human speech and hummingbirds that hover mid-air and dive at 50 miles per hour.
A fascinating scientific history that unearths the origins of birds, The Story of Birds establishes the living legacy of this remarkable species.
448 pages, Hardcover
Published April 28, 2026
134 people are currently reading
5379 people want to read
About the author
Steve Brusatte
19 books513 followersAuthor writes under the penname Stephen Brusatte as well.
Stephen Louis Brusatte (born April 24, 1984) is an American paleontologist and evolutionary biologist, who specializes in the anatomy and evolution of dinosaurs. He was educated at the University of Chicago for his BS degree, at the University of Bristol for his MSc on a Marshall Scholarship, and finally at the Columbia University for MPhil and PhD. He is currently a Reader in Vertebrate Palaeontology at the University of Edinburgh. In addition to his scientific papers and technical monographs, his popular book Dinosaurs (2008) and the textbook Dinosaur Paleobiology (2012) earned him accolades, and he became the resident palaeontologist and scientific consultant for the BBC Earth and 20th Century Fox's 2013 film Walking With Dinosaurs, which is followed by his popular book Walking with Dinosaurs Encyclopedia. His most recent book The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World (2018), written for the adult lay person, won widespread acclaim, and was a New York Times bestseller.
Stephen Louis Brusatte (born April 24, 1984) is an American paleontologist and evolutionary biologist, who specializes in the anatomy and evolution of dinosaurs. He was educated at the University of Chicago for his BS degree, at the University of Bristol for his MSc on a Marshall Scholarship, and finally at the Columbia University for MPhil and PhD. He is currently a Reader in Vertebrate Palaeontology at the University of Edinburgh. In addition to his scientific papers and technical monographs, his popular book Dinosaurs (2008) and the textbook Dinosaur Paleobiology (2012) earned him accolades, and he became the resident palaeontologist and scientific consultant for the BBC Earth and 20th Century Fox's 2013 film Walking With Dinosaurs, which is followed by his popular book Walking with Dinosaurs Encyclopedia. His most recent book The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World (2018), written for the adult lay person, won widespread acclaim, and was a New York Times bestseller.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you’ve read The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, you already know that Steve Brusatte has a gift for making paleontological history feel vivid, accessible, and exciting. That book is one of my favorite nonfiction reads, so I went into The Story of Birds: A New History from Their Dinosaur Origins to the Present with high expectations, and it definitely delivered.
This isn’t just a book about modern birds. It’s really the story of how birds came to be, told through a paleontologist’s lens. Brusatte blends his own field experiences with decades of research - from both fossil records and modern bird studies - to trace the full evolutionary journey from dinosaurs to the birds we know today.
He starts at the beginning, when scientists first began connecting birds to dinosaurs, and walks us through the big evolutionary questions: which dinosaurs were relatives to birds, which ones were the missing link in the evolutionary chain, how feathers and wings developed, whether early species could actually fly, when beaks appeared, and what other traits began to emerge that we now associate with birds. It’s such a fascinating look at how gradual (and sometimes strange) evolution really is.
One of the most compelling parts is how birds made it through the asteroid extinction event 66 million years ago, and then absolutely thrived in the aftermath. Brusatte shows how quickly they diversified and spread across the globe, in many ways outpacing mammals during that period. He also dives into unique evolutionary paths, like flightless birds (penguins, ostriches, and others), and explores why losing flight later on actually made sense in certain environments.
A standout for me was the chapter on bizarre and extinct bird species - some of which I knew very little about. Honestly, a few of them were more unsettling than their dinosaur relatives, which I was not expecting.
He then brings things back to the present, touching on how birds are still evolving today, and ends with a sobering reminder: many bird species are now facing another potential mass extinction event - this time caused by us.
Like his previous books, Brusatte’s writing is incredibly readable without ever feeling oversimplified. It’s packed with information but never overwhelming, and there’s even some humor sprinkled in (I definitely laughed at the cassowary joke - because yes, I've absolutely had a similar thought: they're just modern-day T. rexes with beaks).
Overall, this is a fascinating, well-paced, and highly engaging look at the evolution of birds - from their dinosaur origins all the way to the crows and songbirds we see today. If you’ve enjoyed Brusatte’s other work, or if you’re at all interested in evolution, dinosaurs, or birds, this is an easy recommendation.
And just in case it wasn’t clear enough already: birds are dinosaurs.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the ebook advanced reader's copy! All thoughts are my own.
This isn’t just a book about modern birds. It’s really the story of how birds came to be, told through a paleontologist’s lens. Brusatte blends his own field experiences with decades of research - from both fossil records and modern bird studies - to trace the full evolutionary journey from dinosaurs to the birds we know today.
He starts at the beginning, when scientists first began connecting birds to dinosaurs, and walks us through the big evolutionary questions: which dinosaurs were relatives to birds, which ones were the missing link in the evolutionary chain, how feathers and wings developed, whether early species could actually fly, when beaks appeared, and what other traits began to emerge that we now associate with birds. It’s such a fascinating look at how gradual (and sometimes strange) evolution really is.
One of the most compelling parts is how birds made it through the asteroid extinction event 66 million years ago, and then absolutely thrived in the aftermath. Brusatte shows how quickly they diversified and spread across the globe, in many ways outpacing mammals during that period. He also dives into unique evolutionary paths, like flightless birds (penguins, ostriches, and others), and explores why losing flight later on actually made sense in certain environments.
A standout for me was the chapter on bizarre and extinct bird species - some of which I knew very little about. Honestly, a few of them were more unsettling than their dinosaur relatives, which I was not expecting.
He then brings things back to the present, touching on how birds are still evolving today, and ends with a sobering reminder: many bird species are now facing another potential mass extinction event - this time caused by us.
Like his previous books, Brusatte’s writing is incredibly readable without ever feeling oversimplified. It’s packed with information but never overwhelming, and there’s even some humor sprinkled in (I definitely laughed at the cassowary joke - because yes, I've absolutely had a similar thought: they're just modern-day T. rexes with beaks).
Overall, this is a fascinating, well-paced, and highly engaging look at the evolution of birds - from their dinosaur origins all the way to the crows and songbirds we see today. If you’ve enjoyed Brusatte’s other work, or if you’re at all interested in evolution, dinosaurs, or birds, this is an easy recommendation.
And just in case it wasn’t clear enough already: birds are dinosaurs.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the ebook advanced reader's copy! All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Steve Brusatte has once again written a fascinating book by utilizing his expertise in paleontology and evolutionary biology. Brusatte does for birds here what he did for dinosaurs in his first book, The Rise and the Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World.
In the prologue to The Story of Birds: A New History from Their Dinosaur Origins to the Present, Brusatte makes the bold statement that birds are dinosaurs, and he spends the rest of the book presenting all of the overwhelming evidence to support that birds evolved from their dinosaur ancestors. Most chapters begin with Brusatte setting the scene by describing an extinct bird in action, like Vegavis for instance. I loved how his descriptions set the tone for the subsequent chapter and drew you in to the story. I especially appreciated and enjoyed all of the photographs and illustrations peppered throughout the book; they elevated the reading experience. After reading The Story of Birds, I too want to see the Berlin specimen of Archaeopteryx. I cried when I visited the Royal Tyrell Museum in Alberta, so I can only imagine what it would be like to experience seeing the first bird in person.
After learning all about the evolution of birds, Brusatte brings you back down to earth in the epilogue with a sobering look at how innumerable species of birds are currently at risk of extinction like their dinosaur ancestors. However, modern birds aren't being threatened by a 6 mile wide asteroid; their lives are at risk due to us. I appreciated Brusatte's call to action. If anyone knows anything about extinction events, it's him.
Thank you to Mariner Books, Steve Brusatte, and NetGalley for the ebook advanced reader's copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own. The Story of Birds: A New History from Their Dinosaur Origins to the Present is set to be released on April 28, 2026.
In the prologue to The Story of Birds: A New History from Their Dinosaur Origins to the Present, Brusatte makes the bold statement that birds are dinosaurs, and he spends the rest of the book presenting all of the overwhelming evidence to support that birds evolved from their dinosaur ancestors. Most chapters begin with Brusatte setting the scene by describing an extinct bird in action, like Vegavis for instance. I loved how his descriptions set the tone for the subsequent chapter and drew you in to the story. I especially appreciated and enjoyed all of the photographs and illustrations peppered throughout the book; they elevated the reading experience. After reading The Story of Birds, I too want to see the Berlin specimen of Archaeopteryx. I cried when I visited the Royal Tyrell Museum in Alberta, so I can only imagine what it would be like to experience seeing the first bird in person.
After learning all about the evolution of birds, Brusatte brings you back down to earth in the epilogue with a sobering look at how innumerable species of birds are currently at risk of extinction like their dinosaur ancestors. However, modern birds aren't being threatened by a 6 mile wide asteroid; their lives are at risk due to us. I appreciated Brusatte's call to action. If anyone knows anything about extinction events, it's him.
Thank you to Mariner Books, Steve Brusatte, and NetGalley for the ebook advanced reader's copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own. The Story of Birds: A New History from Their Dinosaur Origins to the Present is set to be released on April 28, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Brusatte is an excellent nonfiction writer. He balances the jargon-laced scientific stuff and the more narratively driven prose incredibly deftly, though he does occasionally veer toward the latter end of the spectrum. That's no criticism: there's no lack of the deep scientific talk in this book and given that we're talking about birds and not the much more charismatic dinosaurs (his bread and butter as a paleontologist), making the book more accessible is probably the right way to go.
The book starts strong with some of the earliest birds and the debate among paleontologists and biologists regarding birds' status as dinosaurs and the evidence that shows birds are literally dinosaurs. Brusatte's ability to tell a story really shines here and it was hard not to smile as I followed the author through some of his fun dramatizations. Unfortunately, somewhere toward the latter half of the book, we start to lose a little steam. There's a definite sag about two thirds of the way in, but a great section about corvids in particular really perked me right up and won my attention back.
What we're left with is an immensely enjoyable if imperfect bit of nonfiction. Perhaps more than any other academic author that I've read, Brusatte's enthusiasm for his subject and love of paleontology shines through in spades, calling to mind that professor whose lectures you never missed because they spoke with so much passion. I truly believe anybody can pick this up and find a lot to love. But if you're a bird lover or animal lover in general, this is a no-brainer.
The book starts strong with some of the earliest birds and the debate among paleontologists and biologists regarding birds' status as dinosaurs and the evidence that shows birds are literally dinosaurs. Brusatte's ability to tell a story really shines here and it was hard not to smile as I followed the author through some of his fun dramatizations. Unfortunately, somewhere toward the latter half of the book, we start to lose a little steam. There's a definite sag about two thirds of the way in, but a great section about corvids in particular really perked me right up and won my attention back.
What we're left with is an immensely enjoyable if imperfect bit of nonfiction. Perhaps more than any other academic author that I've read, Brusatte's enthusiasm for his subject and love of paleontology shines through in spades, calling to mind that professor whose lectures you never missed because they spoke with so much passion. I truly believe anybody can pick this up and find a lot to love. But if you're a bird lover or animal lover in general, this is a no-brainer.
May 2, 2026
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
The Story of Birds is a well written scientifically correct and exciting book about birds from the time of the dinosaurs to our current world, by paleontologist Dr. Steve Brusatte. Released 28th April 2026 by Harper Collins on their Mariner Books imprint, it's 448 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.
The author has a gift for making the ancient world accessible, engaging, and *real*. The animals he describes and the world which they inhabited are very easy to imagine (and often terrifying). This is a well organized and interesting timeline with a definite narrative thread. The author provides numerous visual aids along the way; timelines, resources, chapter notes, and an index.
Although written in accessible layman language, it's meticulously annotated, and the chapter notes are likely worth the price of the book.
Five stars. Well written and interesting. It would be an excellent choice for public and home library acquisition, gifting, or for a non-fiction palate cleanser book club discussion.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Story of Birds is a well written scientifically correct and exciting book about birds from the time of the dinosaurs to our current world, by paleontologist Dr. Steve Brusatte. Released 28th April 2026 by Harper Collins on their Mariner Books imprint, it's 448 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.
The author has a gift for making the ancient world accessible, engaging, and *real*. The animals he describes and the world which they inhabited are very easy to imagine (and often terrifying). This is a well organized and interesting timeline with a definite narrative thread. The author provides numerous visual aids along the way; timelines, resources, chapter notes, and an index.
Although written in accessible layman language, it's meticulously annotated, and the chapter notes are likely worth the price of the book.
Five stars. Well written and interesting. It would be an excellent choice for public and home library acquisition, gifting, or for a non-fiction palate cleanser book club discussion.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the eARC!
This is the third book I have read by Steve Brusatte and I enjoyed this book almost as much as the previous two. Full disclosure, I am afraid of birds. Ever since I was a child, I have refused to go in the bird house at the zoo and still get uncomfortable to this day if a bird flies in front of me. This book helps me feel more rational about this fear since I really am just afraid of dinosaurs 🤣
Brusatte’s writing style is great and doesn’t make the reader feel like they need a PhD in paleontology to understand what he is talking about. I also really appreciated the “stories” he had at the beginning of most chapters to try and paint a picture of what life might have been like for the bird species he was describing. Some of the science and the Latin names of extinct birds might have been a bit beyond me, but I never felt like it took me out of the book.
If, like me, you enjoy reading about animals from the past, or if you have read Brusatte’s other books, definitely read this one. Even if you don’t really care for birds 😅
This is the third book I have read by Steve Brusatte and I enjoyed this book almost as much as the previous two. Full disclosure, I am afraid of birds. Ever since I was a child, I have refused to go in the bird house at the zoo and still get uncomfortable to this day if a bird flies in front of me. This book helps me feel more rational about this fear since I really am just afraid of dinosaurs 🤣
Brusatte’s writing style is great and doesn’t make the reader feel like they need a PhD in paleontology to understand what he is talking about. I also really appreciated the “stories” he had at the beginning of most chapters to try and paint a picture of what life might have been like for the bird species he was describing. Some of the science and the Latin names of extinct birds might have been a bit beyond me, but I never felt like it took me out of the book.
If, like me, you enjoy reading about animals from the past, or if you have read Brusatte’s other books, definitely read this one. Even if you don’t really care for birds 😅
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Received from NetGalley as an ARC. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Mariner Books.
5 stars for The Story of Birds by Steve Brusatte. This is the second book I've read from him. I am a working paleontologist in a lab and some of the most common questions we receive are: "Did the dinosaurs all die?" "When did all the dinosaurs die?" "Is it possible for dinosaurs to still be alive today?"
And each time we answer with: "No, they didn't all die." "The dinosaurs you're thinking about as dinosaurs died off 66million years ago." "Dinosaurs are still alive today. They're outside. Everywhere."
This was a very thorough deep-dive into birds, their history, and their relationship to the dinosaurs. It was very informative and I got a little excited at times when I read a name of a paleontologist who has come to look at our fossil birds at our museum (not naming names!). I recommend every paleontologist, budding or professional, to read this.
5 stars for The Story of Birds by Steve Brusatte. This is the second book I've read from him. I am a working paleontologist in a lab and some of the most common questions we receive are: "Did the dinosaurs all die?" "When did all the dinosaurs die?" "Is it possible for dinosaurs to still be alive today?"
And each time we answer with: "No, they didn't all die." "The dinosaurs you're thinking about as dinosaurs died off 66million years ago." "Dinosaurs are still alive today. They're outside. Everywhere."
This was a very thorough deep-dive into birds, their history, and their relationship to the dinosaurs. It was very informative and I got a little excited at times when I read a name of a paleontologist who has come to look at our fossil birds at our museum (not naming names!). I recommend every paleontologist, budding or professional, to read this.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I got an electronic advance reader copy (ARC) from NetGalley.
Dr. Brusatte's latest book, following The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs and The Rise and Reign of the Mammals, follows the story of birds from a paleontologist's perspective: their biology, evolution, ancestry, and where we are today. Brusatte's writing makes the science accessible, giving plenty of detail while still making the material digestible. He covers everything from how birds evolved beaks, wings, feathers, and even how birds first took flight.
I had a lot of fun reading this book. I loved his previous books, so I knew I would enjoy this one. This book gave me a fresh perspective and new respect for the birds I see everyday. And yes, the debate is over - birds are dinosaurs!
Highly recommend this book to anyone interested in this topic!
Dr. Brusatte's latest book, following The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs and The Rise and Reign of the Mammals, follows the story of birds from a paleontologist's perspective: their biology, evolution, ancestry, and where we are today. Brusatte's writing makes the science accessible, giving plenty of detail while still making the material digestible. He covers everything from how birds evolved beaks, wings, feathers, and even how birds first took flight.
I had a lot of fun reading this book. I loved his previous books, so I knew I would enjoy this one. This book gave me a fresh perspective and new respect for the birds I see everyday. And yes, the debate is over - birds are dinosaurs!
Highly recommend this book to anyone interested in this topic!
April 30, 2026
Billions of birds share our planet, captivating us with their beauty and aerial feats. But how did these seemingly fragile creatures evolve, survive, and shape our world? This book explores how dinosaurs gradually developed bird-like features, why birds survived the extinction event that wiped out other dinosaurs, and how birds diversified into the species we see today.
Steve Brusatte is one of my favorite science writers, so my hopes for this book were high. It did not disappoint. The book is fun, informative, and easy to read. The author clearly has so much love for his subject matter that the reader can’t help but be captivated.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Steve Brusatte is one of my favorite science writers, so my hopes for this book were high. It did not disappoint. The book is fun, informative, and easy to read. The author clearly has so much love for his subject matter that the reader can’t help but be captivated.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Dinosaurs walk fly among us! You had me at 'demon ducks' and ten-foot tall Canadian Geese. If you weren't interested in birds, now you will be. Oh, and birds ARE dinosaurs.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews