A History of Birds

by Simon Wills

“Intriguing stories from the history of the human relationship with birds, including their symbolism in art, literature, religion, and folklore” (Booklist).   Even the most well-informed wildlife enthusiast will be entertained by the stories and fascinating facts in this beautifully illustrated book.   Our ancestors hunted, tamed, worshipped, and depicted birds, and even bestowed magical properties upon them. Why did ancient writers consider the sparrow a lustful creature? Which bird was killed and hung up to predict the weather? And what was an “arse-foot?”   Wildlife photographer and history journalist Simon Wills explores the intriguing and at times bizarre stories behind our relationship with birds. Find out why robins feature on Christmas cards, and how Mozart was persuaded to keep a pet starling. What bird did Florence Nightingale carry around in her pocket? How did the blue tit get its name?   Whole careers have been created around birds—from falconers to ostrich farmers—and birds have had great symbolic importance too. Discover, for example, why Raleigh bicycles carry a heron logo and why church lecterns are in the shape of an eagle.   If you enjoy wildlife, then this book is full of surprises. Pigeons were trained to carry messages in wartime, but could gulls be taught to hunt U-boats? And which American president’s parrot started swearing at his funeral?   “A pleasing and often illuminating book with many examples of historical connections with birds, from Queen Victoria’s parrots and the Prince of Wales’s feathers to Kellogg’s cockerel and recipes for flamingos.” —Bird Watch  

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature

307 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2017

Reviews

[Cheryl Gatling]

I imagined a history of birds would be the story of how birds became birds, evolving from dinosaurs, differentiating to fill every ecological niche. Instead, this is more of a cultural history of birds. What have people thought of different birds in the past? How have they been depicted in folklore, in poetry, in art, in law? As such, it is very much a “fun facts about birds” book.

The book is British, and has a slant toward British birds. Some exotic birds are included (ostriches, flamingos), but the goldfinch, robin, and jay are the British and not the American versions. Some of the pictures are historical, but the close-up photos of the various birds are (we are told) taken by the author, and they are fine.

Kites at one time had royal protection, because they cleaned up the garbage from city streets, but later they were hunted to almost extinction.

Mozart owned a pet starling, which he bought because it whistled a tune he had written. When it died he had a funeral for it, and wrote a poem for it.

Henry VIII and Queen Victoria, as well as a number of US presidents, owned parrots as pets.

I don’t know how this can be proved, but the author claims that pigeons were the first birds domesticated, for the purpose of racing and sending messages.

Ducks were domesticated late because they were so numerous in the wild.

Peacocks were eaten as a delicacy for the rich.

Geese were used to clean chimneys. A rope was tied around the bird’s feet, and it was dangled down the chimney, where it would flap its wings and so brush off the soot. If this is true, it is awful.

Cormorants were used for fishing. A strap would be tied around the cormorant’s neck so it couldn’t swallow the fish. Then it would be allowed to fish, which is what they do, and then be made to cough up the fish for the fisherman. Then they fisherman would take off the strap and let the cormorant eat a fish or two.

Seagulls were trained to locate submarines in WWII, although nothing actually came of it.

In the middle ages, the church used animals to teach people moral lessons. Owls were seen as sinful because they fled the light. Sparrows were seen as lustful, I guess because they reproduced so fast. Peacocks were an example of vanity and pride. Cormorants were called greedy because they swallowed fish that looked too big for them. The funny thing (funny to my modern sensibilities) is that people apparently came to believe that these animals were actually good or bad, and that if bad, it was OK to kill them.

There was also folklore about the medicinal uses of birds that were based on absolutely nothing. The eyes of a kingfisher wrapped in a cloth and put by someone’s bed would keep them from sleeping too much. The eggs of an owl would prevent drunkenness. The broth of a cooked owl would cure whooping cough.

Robin redbreasts have always been beloved, and are often pictured on Christmas cards. (The book doesn’t say so, but in the US that role is filled by cardinals.)

If there is one lesson to the book I think it is that birds have always been important to humans, and we have always been interested in them.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

short history of British birds

I love learning and almost every single bird here had a new fact for me. Loved the meanings of some of the bird names, historical references - Greek, Latin and Shakespeare for example. And the ancient illustrations are beautiful. Lovely addition to any library. Americans will also recognize all of these species.

[Paul Chasen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great beginner's birding book, especially if you like history and witty UK humor.