Pilgrim on the Great Bird Continent: The Importance of Everything and Other Lessons from Darwin's Lost Notebooks

by Lyanda Lynn Haupt

By focusing mostly on the birds Charles Darwin observed, and by brilliantly mining his lesser-known writings, Haupt pens a startlingly fresh exploration of the man's genius that invites readers to look at the world with new eyes.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Nature, Birds, Natural History, Science

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Lyanda Lynn Haupt is a naturalist, eco-philosopher, and speaker whose writing is at the forefront of the movement to connect people with nature in their everyday lives. Her newest book is Mozart's Starling: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

“Mozart’s Starling is a delightful, enlightening, breathless flight through the worlds of Carmen and Star, two European starlings who join their human counterparts in exploring life and music and nature, helping to shed light on the connection between humans and birds--those of us bound to terra firma, and those of us who are free to soar.”

Garth Stein
NYT bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain and A Sudden Light



Lyanda's recent book, Crow Planet: Essential Wisdom from the Urban Wilderness, was widely praised and is available in paperback.

“A completely charming and informative book on the pleasures of keeping one’s eyes open.” -David Sedaris

“With her sensitivity, careful eye and gift for language, Haupt tells her tale beautifully, using crow study to get at a range of ever-deepening concerns about nature and our place within it, immersing us in a heady hybrid of science, history, how-to and memoir.” -Erika Schickel, Los Angeles Times

Lyanda’s first book, Rare Encounters with Ordinary Birds (Sasquatch, 2001), explores the relationship between humans, birds, and ecological understanding, and is a winner of the 2002 Washington State Book Award.

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.” ~Rachel Carson

2006 - This is less a biography than it is a treatise on evolution; not on the evolution of the universe, or the evolution of life, or even the evolution of man, but rather the evolution of a naturalist. Lyanda Lynn Haupt is herself an environmental ethicist, a philosopher, and a “birder.” Her take on Charles Darwin is wonderfully perceptive and heavily ornithological - any self-respecting entomologist who happens upon Pilgrim on the Great Bird Continent thinking that beetles will get their fair share of ink is undoubtedly going to feel slighted.

I love the way Haupt writes. Her turn of a phrase often put me in mind of Sylvia Plath, or a young Virginia Woolf, yet she stays deeply rooted in good science. She has a way of blurring the boundaries between what is physical and what is philosophical, and she presents Charles Darwin in a very warm and personable light. I would recommend this book to almost anyone, young or old, worldly or unrefined (but never ever to an entomologist).

[Grrlscientist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost everyone has heard about “Darwin’s Finches” — those dark little birds that live on the Galapagos Islands. But most people don’t realize that Darwin didn’t set eyes upon those birds until nearly the end of his five year journey. Additionally, when Darwin first stepped aboard the HMS Beagle in 1831, he was neither an ornithologist nor a professional scientist; instead, he was a 22-year-old beetle collector and an amateur naturalist with only a smattering of formal scientific training. Yet, because of the many challenges on his famous voyage, Darwin returned to England five years later as a “finished scientist” and further, as a fledgling biological visionary. What happened to Darwin during the intervening time? What did he see and experience during those five years that shaped his understanding of the natural world? How did he develop the insights necessary to propose natural selection as the basis for evolutionary change? Was Darwin’s philosophical transformation a sudden “eureka!” moment, or was it a gradual process? These are the themes explored in Lyanda Lynn Haupt’s charming and interesting new book; Pilgrim on the Great Bird Continent: The improbable importance of everything and other lessons from Darwin’s lost notebooks [2006, Little, Brown and Company].

In her quest to document Darwin’s philosophical metamorphosis, Haupt relies on his published writings and also meticulously excavates his diaries, private correspondences, general specimen notes and even the pocket notebooks that he carried in the field. Even though Haupt brings us nose-to-nose with dung beetles, intestinal parasites, and tropical vegetation, the main focus of this book is Darwin’s observations of birds.

Certainly, Darwin never thought of himself as an ornithologist. Instead, he described himself as a geologist and he published books about a variety of topics, including marine invertebrates, earthworms and orchids. But less known was that during his famous journey, young Darwin also spent a fair amount of time observing birds, particularly Andean condors, hummingbirds and several South American rhea species, which he referred to in his notes as “ostriches”.

Because Haupt is a nature writer and an avid bird watcher, she brings a fresh and knowledgeable perspective to the literature by specifically investigating the key role of birds in the development of Darwin’s biological vision. This approach is tenable, especially for a general audience because, as Haupt explains;

Nearly everyone has a basic working knowledge of birds. I can mention that Darwin was observing a kind of pheasant, a bird the size of a robin, or even a specific bird, like an Andean condor, and be reasonably certain that my meaning will be met. I cannot say the same for discussions of marine invertebrates, reptiles, fossils of extinct mammals, or minerals […]. Beyond this, though, there is a freshness in Darwin’s approach to birds that speaks to my purpose. With a minimum of preconceived ideas, without previous experience, and without expectations and intellectual constraints from his teachers, Darwin’s mind was allowed to soar unfettered. … It is little surprise that observations of birds would provide much of the best evidence for his theories.

Throughout the book, Haupt carefully selects specific passages from Darwin’s writings to provide the reader with glimpses into his growing delight with, as well as his deepening appreciation for, birds and their multidimensional, often subtle, relationship with the world. Haupt also explores related topics such as the importance of bird collections to ongoing scientific research, Darwin’s observations of physical changes in domestic pigeons due to human selective breeding, and even the evolution of Darwin’s spiritual and religious life.

For young Darwin, his journey of discovery was puzzling at times, however, Haupt’s lovely prose never is. She skilfully draws the reader along his path, pointing out seemingly small observations that later assume their full import in his published writings. Even though this book describes the personal side of an important scientific discovery, Haupt reveals timeless lessons for us, too. She reminds us of the joy to be found in living things, how we become truly alive with our attention to life’s details, that nothing in the natural world should be beneath our notice. Whether you are a bird lover, a naturalist or if you are curious about the personal evolution of scientists and their ideas, you will enjoy this book.

[Garrett Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look at Darwin through the lens of his ornithological studies. How this helped transform him from an inexperienced young man with an obsessive interest in beetles to a fully formed naturalist when he returned to England. I learned some interesting things about Darwin, such as his intense study of barnacles and the 1200 page tome that emerged from this study, and his again obsessive interest in fancy pigeons and how the ability of a single species, Columbus livia, to create a myriad of breeds through selecting for specific traits and how this could be nature’s tool for creation of novel species through natural selection. I appreciate Haupt’s obvious love of nature and her ability to find and tease out interesting stories from arcane details. If you enjoy natural history, birds, and Charles Darwin then this book is worth a read.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had two incentives to read this book. My deep and abiding love of nature and science was the first, though I find that I subscribe to an out-of-date gentleman naturalist way of looking at the world, rather than the more modern specialist way of looking at the world. And the second is the subtitle. I am hampered in my self-education by the fact that I do believe that everything is important. Everything is worth knowing. Which makes it odd that I am hampered by the very thing that removes restrictions, that makes my quest for knowledge unbounded and ultimately impossible to completed. Ah well, I do enjoy tilting at windmills, and if I have fashioned my life and goals to be an impossible dream, well, there are worse ways to live life. This book deals with the process by which Darwin progressed from being a young man who was interested in nature and science to being the well-versed naturalist that transformed the way we see the natural world. The author does a good job at showing this but more importantly there is a love of nature that permeates the book. Recommended, for so many reasons, but ultimately just because it made me smile.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lynda Haupts weaves her prose with deep analysis of resources (Darwin's notebooks) and poetic reflection, both traits that illuminate the mind of great naturalists. With Darwin as her role model, the author explores not only the evolution of the theory of natural selection, but the evolution of how one views the world and comes to define their own values. Haupt's own experiences and perspectives as an ornithologist, raptor rehab specialist and student of philosophy and literature complement her synthesis of Darwin's writings.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable biography of a fascinating man. I love that the author wanted to present a different view of Darwin, compared to how we learn about him in school and the way his published works might represent him. Namely, that he wasn't all that confident in his skills as a naturalist as he started out, and that while he was in the Galapagos Islands, he barely made note of the finches at all.

This is the third book by this author I've read and yet again, I really like how she paces her writing. There are passages of scientific writing interspersed with philosophical musings about our role in nature as human beings. More and more I realize how much I would like to consider myself a naturalist. The last lines of the book really stand out to me, "[Darwin] reminds us... that we become alive and embodied in our attention to life's detail. That nothing in the natural world is beneath our notice."

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved how this book focused more on Darwin's beginnings as a naturalist, his curiosity and even his very-human mistakes. It was a wonderful portrait with lots of subtle humor and an interesting read. I feel like it helped me learn a lot about naturalists during that time period as well.

On the other hand, I know Darwin is automatically associated with the creationism debate, but I was surprised to see it discussed at the very end. I think this book would have been 5-stars for me if it focused only on Darwin's life, his explorations and his thought processes and notes - and not the aftermath/heresy of his vision. Anyway, it was an awesome book to read right before my trip to Galapagos even though only a small part of it was about his work there.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very easily readable, this book painted an entirely different picture of Darwin from those I had before. His absolute awe and reverence for all of creation (and that is how he referred to it) shows him as a very sensitive soul, one who could spend hours lying on his back in a field just to observe the patterns of a flock of birds. And yet his celebrated travels represent only 5 years of his life, the rest spent studying at home. His intensity for and obsession with various topics led to so many revelations! He was not perfect by any means, but definitely a man who commands our respect.

[Paleoanthro · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a biography, but rather a look at Darwin and how his natural history/scientific skills developed and matured through his notebooks, with a particular emphasis on his ornithological notes. Haupt is a birder and philosopher and it shows throughout the book in her analysis and her writing, as she illustrates the growth in Darwin's skills as a naturalists through his voyage on the Beagle and his work upon his return to England.

[Christopher]

A lovely collection of graceful essays with Darwin the keen, compassionate naturalist as the common thread. Small things matter.

[Yen-Yi Juo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful book full of insight and grace. The author focused on young Darwin's notes of his ornithological observations, an area of Darwin's study that is less often discussed. Through his diaries and notebooks, the author found glimpses into Darwin's transformation from an aspiring naturalist to a fully formed scientist, but more importantly, the innate spiritual and humane attitude Darwin held toward wildness. Having read several of the author's less academic books, I am deeply impressed by her ability to wield language with such fluidity and precision in the description of subliminal, spiritual experiences while encountering nature. I think I will be coming back to this book time and again in the future, to be reminded of the beauty and holiness of the leaves, the birds, the worms, and the air that we breathe, and the importance of "keeping my soul ajar."

[Charmaine Cabral · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Charles Darwin only that it doesn't focus on his discovery of evolution and then forward but the man he was BEFORE and his journey to become a seasoned naturalist.
While I'd probably only recommend this book to big Charles Darwin fans, it had some great and thought-provoking insight on how we should see and study the world. It was definitely a difficult read due to the nature of the subject and the focus on orithology but very entertaining regardless. This one might need a re-read from me with careful attention.

[Bill Leach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haupt reflects on Darwin's Ornithological Notes. One of the beauties of this work is it gives good insight into Darwin's daily activities and his thoughts - more-so than his better known publications that were meant to document his ideas of evolution. His notes include observations of condors, the subspecies of rhea now named after him, burrowing owls and of course the Galapagos finches.

[tonia peckover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous exploration of Darwin's evolution from an eager and naive young wanna-be naturalist on the Beagle to the scientist we (sort of) know. Haupt makes him wonderfully human with her engaging anecdotes and insights from his diaries. But the book is more than just a Darwin-book. Haupt writes lovingly and wisely about our own interactions with the natural world and how we need those experiences more than ever now. Really lovely.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the piecing together of Darwin’s travels & thoughts. The later chapters though, I struggled with.

[Foggygirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

An educational and informative read.

[Wendy Feltham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having just read two novels that included Darwin, I was intrigued to learn more about his life. Then while looking for another one of Lyanda Lynn Haupt's books, I stumbled upon this. I enjoyed it very much, and learned so many interesting facts about Darwin's life. It's beautifully written, and covers key moments in his life, including his work in South America prior to his arrival in the Galapagos. I also liked Haupt's own thoughts about being a naturalist, and look forward to reading more of her work.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved her first book so much that I had really high expectations for this one. There were a few flashes of that love here but sometimes the book wandered around a bit too much for me. Because we will be going to the Galapagos soon, it was an interesting read, but I just didn't love it like her first book.

[Rift Vegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This should have been a great book... I enjoyed the author's other books, I love Darwin and the books he has written, and birds are cool. There were many interesting tidbits here. But I never fully engaged with this book. I hope someday I will re-read this one and rate it more than three stars. :/

[Julie Waldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read -- not the usual biography, but more of an extended essay on the beginning of Darwin's life as a naturalist. As a (very) amateur birdwatcher, I found it quite interesting.

[Foreign]

US: Terry Adams

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

more aboput Darwin's 5 year voyage on the Beagle and what it meant to his developing his theories than I had any idea about
very interesting book with a lot of promise

[Leslie]

So far I am really enjoying it. It is nice to read about Darwin on a more perosnal level.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Haupt's writing so that made this a very enjoyable look into Darwin's young life as a naturalist, his journey on the HMS Beagle in the 1830s, and his own evolution into "Darwinism."