Imperial Dreams: Tracking the Imperial Woodpecker Through the Wild

by Tim Gallagher

Naturalist Tim Gallagher journeys deep into the savagely beautiful Sierra Madre, home to rich wildlife and other natural treasures and also to Mexican drug cartels in a dangerous quest to locate the rarest bird in the world the possibly extinct Imperial Woodpecker, the largest of all "carpinteros."
Explorer and naturalist Tim Gallagher is obsessed with rare birds. A decade ago, Gallagher was one of the rediscoverers of the legendary ivory-billed woodpecker, which most scientists believed had been extinct for more than half a century an event that caused an international stir. Now, in "Imperial Dreams, "Gallagher once again hits the trail, journeying deep into Mexico s savagely beautiful Sierra Madre Occidental, home to rich wildlife, as well as to Mexican drug cartels, in a perilous quest to locate the most elusive bird in the world the imperial woodpecker, a giant among its clan.
The imperial woodpecker s trumpetlike calls and distinctive hammering on massive pines once echoed through the high forests. Two feet tall, with deep black plumage, a brilliant snow-white shield on its back, and a crimson crest, the imperial woodpecker had largely disappeared fifty years ago, though reports persist of the bird still flying through remote mountain stands. In an attempt to find and protect the imperial woodpecker in its last habitat, Gallagher is guided by a map of sightings of this natural treasure of the Sierra Madre, bestowed on him by a friend on his deathbed. Charged with continuing the quest of a line of distinguished naturalists, including the great Aldo Leopold, Gallagher treks through this mysterious, historically untamed and untamable territory. Here, where an ancient petroglyph of the imperial can still be found, Geronimo led Apaches in their last stand, William Randolph Hearst held a storied million-acre ranch, and Pancho Villa once roamed, today ruthless drug lords terrorize residents and steal and strip the land.
Gallagher s passionate quest takes a harrowing turn as he encounters armed drug traffickers, burning houses, and fleeing villagers. His mission becomes a life-and-death drama that will keep armchair adventurers enthralled as he chases truth in the most dangerous of habitats."

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

312 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2013

About the author

Best known for being one of the rediscoverers of the ivory-billed woodpecker (which was believed to be extinct since the 1940s) and writing THE GRAIL BIRD, author Tim Gallagher has another passion that has driven him since childhood -- the ancient sport of falconry. Gallagher's most recent adventure -- detailed in his new book, FALCON FEVER -- was to follow in the footsteps of 13th-century Emperor Frederick II -- a scientist, architect, poet, musician, and all-around Renaissance man 200 years before the births of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Frederick was also the greatest falconer who ever lived. His talks are illustrated with photographs of Frederick's spectacular castles and hunting areas, stunning hand-painted illustrations from his illuminated manuscript on falconry, and pictures of modern falconers hunting in the same style as Frederick II."

Reviews

[Tarynwanderer · Rating 3 out of 5]

[This review can also be found at bookwanderer!]

Imperial Dreams: Tracking the Imperial Woodpecker Through the Wild Sierra Madre, by Tim Gallagher, is an account of the author's travels through the Sierra Madre mountain range in Mexico in search of the imperial woodpecker. Presumed extinct since the 1950s, the imperial woodpecker--the largest of its species in the world!--is a close cousin of the ivory-billed woodpecker, which Gallagher claimed to have encountered with a birding team in Arkansas. This book represents one of his many in-depth searches for a rare, possibly extinct bird.

I'm a birder (though not on Gallagher's level), and in addition to having birded in some cool places, I've also been lucky enough to have traveled throughout Mexico as a result of my father's family still living there. So really, this book seemed as though it was tailor-written for me!

However.

I had a very difficult time connecting with this book--and I truly enjoy travel writing! (Redmond O'Hanlon and Bill Bryson, for example, are two authors whose travel books are hilarious and heart-warming and frightening by turns.) It's hard to pinpoint exactly where Imperial Dreams failed for me, but something about Gallagher's narrative voice felt disengaging. Humor was rarely attempted and fell flat. There was a lot of emphasis placed on what they ate (which never seemed to diverge too far from eggs, peppers, beans, and tortillas--completely fine, but why mention it each time, then?). Sometimes the writing felt like more of an itinerary than a piece of travel writing, due to the amount of back-and-forth travel going on as the group chased rumors and tried to avoid areas of drug cultivation and violence.

Perhaps it is because their search ends, sadly but probably predictably, in failure. They never see nor hear any sign of an imperial woodpecker, despite their many encounters with residents of the area who recall seeing the birds in the past. Gallagher also gets hurt, even blacking out on a mountain trail at one point, and that slows his journey immensely, causing them to cut short their explorations.

It's much harder to write about a journey that ends without that satisfying moment, and so I'm sympathetic to the task that Gallagher undertook here.

The story itself was, by all rights, interesting. Gallagher weaves the natural and human histories of place into his narrative, giving us a tour of a harsh land that nonetheless supports farmers and ranchers. He displays a good understanding of the Mexican illegal drug economy and didn't seem to sensationalize it--this was truly a very dangerous undertaking, and it is not romanticized, which I appreciated. The landscapes sound beautiful, and the people that they do meet--from landholding Mormon families to Mexican biologists to poverty-stricken campesinos--are uniformly friendly, generous, and helpful. If anything, the book just made me want to explore the areas of Mexico that I haven't visited yet.

I would be remiss, though, if I did not also mention that Gallagher does not give enough weight to those who challenged the Cornell team's previous ivory-billed woodpecker sighting. (Gallagher's previous book, The Grail Bird, focuses on the hunt and "discovery" of another large, rare woodpecker.) In Imperial Dreams, he sneeringly calls doubters "naysayers," but does not describe for the reader at all who these naysayers are, or how they backed up their claims that the ivory-bill is, in fact, extinct. This presents a very one-sided account, and could easily lead to a reader assuming he really and unquestionably had re-discovered living ivory-billed woodpeckers.

But. David Sibley (yes, that David Sibley) and Kenn Kaufman (yes, that Kenn Kaufaman)--both widely renowned ornithologists, professional birders, field guide authors/illustrators, and conservationists--publicly cast doubt on Gallagher's ivory-bill sighting. Sibley even tracked through the same Arkansas marches where the sighting took place, and was unable to find any signs of an ivory-bill.

I don't think Gallagher is lying at all, and I don't think his rare-bird searches were about recognition or fame. (You don't go into ornithology for the money, that's for sure.) He's clearly a passionate birder, and you don't get to work at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology without knowing your stuff; the book proves that he is adept at research and birding. I just think that perhaps wanting something to be true doesn't make it true. It's easy to make misidentifications in the field--even more so if there's a rare bird that is constantly on your mind, and it behooves him to be straightforward about his previous experiences.

With all of this backstory nagging at me, I realized that it was going to be a struggle for me to try to enjoy the book on its own merits; then, when the journey fizzled and the writing dried, the struggle became nearly impossible . For those of you who don't care quite as much about current controversies in the birding world, and simply want a tale about exploring Mexico in search of a dream, Imperials Dreams might be a nice read.

Imperial Dreams will be available for purchase on April 16, 2013. I received a free copy from publisher Atria Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Bookwanderer Rating: Three out of five stars
Bookwanderer Tagline: "Virginia nodded as we asked her about the birds and described them accurately as "pinto" (black and white) and said that the black on their plumage had a bluish sheen at times if the light struck it a certain way. But she answered most of out questions with the same refrain: 'That was long ago, and now they are gone.'"

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do a little birding on occasion; in the marshlands and the uplands of Northern California. At least six species of woodpecker frequent my neighborhood, which is a fairly substantial number when you consider species distribution throughout the United States. The smallest is the Downy Woodpecker, which will occasionally work at our fig tree, the largest is the Pileated - a gorgeous, large woodpecker. But even the Pileated pales in comparison to the grandeur of the Imperial, a one time resident of Mexico’s Sierra Madre Occidental that is now either very scarce or extinct. But the thing is, no one is really sure if the Imperial is still out there.

After tracking down the supposedly extinct Ivory Billed woodpecker in an Arkansas swamp, Tim Gallagher decided to take on a similar quest following rumors on the Imperial. The only thing is, this search takes place in one of the most notorious drug growing areas in Mexico, a fact that is constantly at hand as Gallagher and his guides drive up isolated tracks into ever more threatening spots in the mountains of Chihuahua and Durango. While Gallagher leans toward self-aggrandizement and perhaps slight exaggeration, this fool’s quest for the sake of ornithological discovery is exciting and interesting, but also remarkably sad.

[Tuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

spoiler, he doesnt find one :(
and even though we know this, more or less from page one, well worth the read to follow author in his ramblings in nw mexico mountains, to see the habitat/environment destructions, and to see the mad mad world drug mafia, drug wars, and obscene amounts of money and poverty have destroyed a unique place on earth.
author probably DID find and film lord god bird though in souther usa. a while back, so he is legit

Been busy building an opac, so just making placeholders for books I’ve read in march and april 2014. This is the opac though.
http://stwr.ent.sirsi.net/client/defa...

[Priscilla Melchior · Rating 4 out of 5]

Want adventure? Want a single-minded quest for the truth regardless of consequences? Forget detective novels or war stories. Follow instead Tim Gallagher as he fights, cajoles, climbs, hikes and bullies (in the best possible sense) his way through incredible obstacles toward the elusive imperial woodpecker.

This is not a book just for birders. It's an adventure tale, pure and simple, a fun read!

I won a copy of this book by participating in the GoodReads First Reads program.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

With little more than rumors, stories, and the map from a dying friend, Tim Gallagher embarks on a dangerous quest through the Sierra Madre in search of the Imperial Woodpecker, last photographed in 1956. In this remote region of Mexico yet to see the modern convenience of electricity and telephones, Tim follows a trail laid out by word-of-mouth stories, testimonies, legends, and fading memories in search of this incredible bird. Imperial Dreams speaks to the adventurer in all of us and sparks the desire to embark on a similar, wild and dangerous expedition.

Imperial Dreams, Tracking the Imperial Woodpecker through the wild Sierra Madre is a book of tragedy and hope, history and adventure, mystery and naturalism, all of which are brought together in an exceptionally well-written story. Throughout, the reader finds themself as passionately determined to find this bird as Tim: sharing his hope, struggling with him in discouragement, and feeling his fears as the expedition plays cat-and-mouse with deadly drug cartels. Imperial Dreams brings the stories and biographies of a remote people to life and opens a window into the Sierra Madre’s harsh beauty, and continual struggle to survive against first the Apache People and now drug cartels.

As for the Imperial Woodpecker itself, little is known other than eyewitness accounts, stories, and the observations of earlier explorers. By the time the science community recognized their fragility, the pitoreal was well on its way to extinction. Indiscriminate logging and a program of extermination quickly decimated this extraordinary bird. Still, there continues to be rare and unconfirmed sightings of this woodpecker; and since Tim and a partner ornithologist rediscovered the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, thought to be extinct, there is still hope for the Imperial Woodpecker.

The book itself is a high-tech forerunner of what printed material is likely to become: included on the jacket and title page is a barcode image of an Imperial Woodpecker, which when scanned, downloads the only known images of a living Imperial Woodpecker. Imperial Dreams also provides web site addresses for additional information, including a link to the only known video of an Imperial Woodpecker. Finally, scattered throughout the book are black-and-white photographs and a section of colored photos and illustrations that greatly enhance the reader’s experience.

Imperial Dreams is one book that I highly recommend. Not only does it read like a top-notch adventure novel, but contains fascinating history found nowhere else.

[Julie Bockes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. I prefer The Grail Bird though. I loved the historical information!

[Chris Demer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really engaging story of the author's excursions into the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico in search of the Imperial Woodpecker.
The author is both a scientist and an adventurer and took the risky journey more than once, living in bare bones facilities and dodging narcotraficantes in the high sierras, the only known habitat of this bird.
Showing the only known photos of this magnificent bird to old timers, he hears of frequent sightings from long ago, but none in the recent past. Not since intensive logging in the mountains began.
Occasionally, he encounters hopeful information on a possible sighting, driving him and his guides and colleagues ever onward, regardless of the many dangers.

The story includes interesting history of the region including the settlement of a large contingent of
Mormons in the 19th century, many of whose descendants have ranches in the area. He also describes the story of Pancho Villa, as well as that of Apaches who sought refuge in the high mountains during the Indian wars. Apparently, they continued their raiding tradition which did not create good relations with the Mexicans. Subsequently, they were hunted down, possibly like the giant wood peckers, until they became extinct, possibly also like the wood peckers.

The writing is really engaging and the quest heart rending. There is a slight possibility of living Imperial Wood Peckers, but some areas could not be explored due to the dangers posed by the drug traffickers.

We owe a debt to those who seek wonderful creatures on the brink of extinction, perhaps in the hope of saving them, or at least impressing on others the importance of more carefully managing out earthly home in all of its variety.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves wildlife and adventure!

[Ross Hoerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, but nowhere near as good as "Grail Bird". The cynic in me thinks that this was written after the success of that book, in hopes of getting back some of the travel expenses. Again, a lot of talking to people who had witnessed the bird in real life in the 50s, or reviewing prior sightings. WAY too much emphasis on the dangers of attempting the search for this bird in Mexico's drug lands. Could've done with a LOT less of that. Trust the reader to pay attention, explain the situation once, and then let it be instead of belaboring the point in every chapter...

[Rick Skwiot · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those of us who love birds and Mexico, Tim Gallagher’s “Imperial Dreams: Tracking the Imperial Woodpecker through the Wild Sierra Madre,” is a sobering book. It chronicles the willful destruction of habitat—both animal and human—in northwest Mexico by loggers, ranchers, drug gangs, corruption and ignorance. Editor in chief of the world famous Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s magazine “Living Bird,” Gallagher himself nearly becomes a dead duck in his quest to find an extant specimen of the once thriving imperial woodpecker, the world’s largest.

What Gallagher discovers through several forays into the rugged Sierra Madre Occidental—the last in 2011—is a lawless land where drug cartels rule, practicing intimidation, kidnapping, rape, extortion and murder. Further, the gangs continue the ongoing decimation of rare highland forests—the last refuge of the imperial woodpecker—in order to fashion opium and marijuana growing fields as well as airfields to fly the contraband north to U.S. consumers.

Along the way Gallagher feeds us fascinating tidbits of Sierra Madre and northern Mexico history, including stories of Geronimo and raiding Apaches (not obliterated there until the 1930s), Pancho Villa and General Pershing, expatriate American Mormons who still cling to their ranches despite kidnappings by the Zetas and other drug gangs, and the demise of the indigenous wolves and grizzlies.

But the most lasting impression of “Imperial Dreams” is how dangerous that part of Mexico has become for the human species. Gallagher encounters horror upon horror perpetrated by the drug gangs, renting the lives and culture of the Mexicans trying to exist peacefully on their land. It is no wonder that now Mexican communities are turning to vigilantism in a last-ditch effort to preserve their threatened human habitat.

[Steven Howes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the author's previous book "The Grail Bird" about the rediscovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker in the SE United States in the 1990's and found it be fascinating. This offering was a similar book about the author's search for evidence of the existence of the Imperial Woodpecker, a large woodpecker related to the Ivory-Billed and native to high elevation pine forests of the Sierra Madre in Mexico.

In my opinion, this book is about much more than the Imperial Woodpecker. It is about old Mexico and its difficult transformation to the country we know today. It is a story of exploitation, not only of natural resources but also of indigenous peoples. The book is also about the determination of a few dedicated biologists making a last ditch effort to find remnant populations of these birds in the diminishing patches of suitable habitat and not being willing to commit them to "extinction." Their quest is made through great physical hardship and risk of personal safety (read drug traffickers).

The last known images of the Imperial Woodpecker were from an 85 second film taken by William Rhein of a foraging female in 1956. Undocumented anecdotal sightings occurred sporadically after that. After having viewed the film and read this book, I had an unshakeable feeling of emptiness in my gut. In all probability, these great birds are gone forever. I think I will go out as soon as possible and try to observe some of the Pileated Woodpeckers found near my home. They are probably the closest thing to an Imperial Woodpecker I will ever see.

[David Corleto-Bales · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful and heartbreaking book about ornithologists searching for the elusive imperial woodpecker, the world's largest species of woodpecker, (the male was up to 24 inches long with a flaming red crown) in the high pine forests and mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico. The last documented sighting of the imperial woodpecker was in 1956 but anecdotal evidence seems to indicate that the species existed in remote areas of Chihuahua, Durango and Sinaloa until the 1990s. These areas have suffered greatly from over-logging and drug cultivation and the expeditions were hampered by the chaotic drug war that unfolded in Mexico during Felipe Calderon's presidency in 2009-2010. Vast areas of the region were no-go zones "owned" the the Zetas drug cartel. Tim Gallagher of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology was part of the team that proved that the ivory-billed woodpecker of the American Southeast still existed back in 2004, and in birding circles the imperial woodpecker is described as the "holy grail" of ornithology. Despite tantalizing stories of sightings, they come up short but not from lack of trying. Anyone who is interested in birding, nature, the great land of Mexico and mystery would like this book.

[Kerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. Some history and geography can be learned, mostly in the first half of the book. Therefore that part is interesting. The second half is staccato bursts of what they did, where they went, who they showed their movie to. Not interesting and full of unnecessary details. One begins to think the 'sightings' people report, as in, "I saw that bird 40 years ago when I was 2 years old" (exaggeration for effect), are not accurate. To put it nicely. All that said, interesting to learn how some people live and what they choose to do with their time.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the bad things about Goodreads (there are much more good things of course) is that insensitive reviewer turds can give away the entire book in their reviews. And that's what happened with this one!

Overall though, beside that review, this is a fun book about a search for the possibly extinct Imperial Woodpecker in the Sierra Madre of Mexico, an extremely dangerous part of the country. I love the idea of a passionate pursuit of something, anything, all just for knowledge and love of pursuit.

[Thomas Stevenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having never heard of the Imperial Woodpecker, but knowing about the sighting of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, I was anxious to learn about this bird. In that sense the information is scant. Those who have seen the bird are mostly dead and since it was once common in the Sierra Madre Mountains they didn't really pay it much attention. So this is more of a travel story in rugged, probably very beautiful country now inhabited by drug lords.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book - part adventure story, part ornithological study. Truly enjoyed this description of the search for the possibly-extinct Imperial Woodpecker (a two-foot tall woodpecker!) in the mountains of northern Mexico. Good follow-up to a couple of books I've read about the search for the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker in the southern US.

Sound boring? Read them and see if you don't want to join an expedition.

[Emily Kestrel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gallagher is a great narrator. His description of searching for the likely-extinct imperial woodpecker through the dangerous Sierra Madre Occidental was vivid. He also provided some good background on earlier explorers to the area. Ultimately, it was a rather melancholy story, as the beautiful habitat is being destroyed, and the people live under such difficult conditions.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading the journey of Tim through the Sierra Madre. The facts and history provided and the photos were very helpful in understanding the history of the Imperial. I was able to attend his book reading and he graciously signed my book copy. His passion of the Imperial radiates through his speaking. I would highly suggest this book to any bird lover and to the laymen as well.

[Mes Valatie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing story of courage and obsession to find the Imperial Woodpecker of the Sierra Madre. The account if how the drug cartels have taken over this wilderness and clear cut it is heart breaking but even scarier and sadder for the numberless Mexicans who are killed in the process

[Mark Rough · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot, but it lacked the impact that The Grail Bird had. Though there's a real sense of danger in this book, there doesn't seem a reason for Gallagher to keep going. In The Grail Bird, there's suspense and controversy and mystery. There is no sense of possibility in this book.

[Kristen Gage · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this after The Grail Bird and it grounded me back to reality. TGB was exciting and satisfying, Imperial Dreams reminded me why I enjoy this type of reading from the safety of my couch. ID is educational, exciting and sobering as well.

[Carrie Laben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gallagher isn't much of a stylist, and this sometimes mars the book, which is in places poorly organized. However, the inherent drama of the subject matter and the author's clear love for the birds he's pursuing make this an overall worthwhile read.

[Jeanne Fair · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough documentation of the status of the Imperial Woodpecker told through the story of expeditions to find the last vestiges of the species. A depressing, but important story to know. The book is filled with my historical vignettes for the region of Northern Mexico.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

browser review running soon.....

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for stories of possibly-not-extinct giant woodpeckers.

[Ann]

Top 5 Science and Nature - PLA

[Linda Sellevaag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting for its information on the imperial woodpecker and background on the history and current situation of life in the Sierra Madre.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-told tale of tracking a rare bird into the Sierra Madre of Mexico,

[Curt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsession.

[Jmmaher]

Interesting and fairly well written story about the search for the holly grail of birds, the imperial woodpecker. (Ok so I read a lot of bird related tales). Still pretty interesting.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

In search of the possibly extinct Imperial Woodpecker, encounters dangerous drug traffickers.