Wings of Paradise: Birds of the Louisiana Wetlands

Located at the narrow end of the funnel-shaped Mississippi flyway zone, south Louisiana serves as a seasonal stopover for wintering birds from all across North America as well as for some neotropical birds from Central America. Many other bird species make the region their permanent home. For more than fifty years Charlie Hohorst, an avid outdoorsman, hunted ducks in the marshes of south Louisiana. Now he shoots waterfowl with his camera, and his passion extends to all birds living in or passing through the state’s wetland areas. Wings of Paradise, the first book of Hohorst’s breathtaking photography, demonstrates the attributes that served him well as a hunter – an exceptional eye, focus, keen observation, manual dexterity, patience, a sense of oneness with the outdoors.

Brilliant color and clarity, as well as variety and movement, define Hohorst’s photographs. Organized by type as shorebirds, raptors, woodland songbirds, and migratory ducks and geese, his images display dozens of different species engaged in their many and fascinating activities: swooping, skimming, plunging, meandering, soaring, pausing, preening, nesting, romancing, arguing, catching prey, drying their wings, and more. Hohorst captures individual features in remarkable detail, and his commentary shows an intimate familiarity with his subjects.

Following Hohorst’s photographic feast for the eyes, noted food writer Marcelle Bienvenu reflects on south Louisiana’s cherished hunting rituals and shares twenty-four favorite duck and goose recipes from the area. From close-ups to panoramic scenes, Wings of Paradise provides a visual delight for families, birders, naturalists, conservationists, sportsmen, and all who appreciate the natural beauty of south Louisiana.