Enchantment by Birds
Russell McGregor
Enchantment by Birds
Russell McGregor
Enchantment by birds is commonplace. Birdwatchers merely go a step further than others and actively seek to be enchanted. This book tells why they take that extra step. It takes the reader on a series of excursions into birdwatching's past, venturing forward to the present. With an intriguing cast of characters, avian as well as human, its lively narratives explore the emotional and aesthetic impulses behind the pastime as well as its scientific and conservationist components.
Its stories of 22 Australian birds range widely- from wordy squabbles over bird names to the artistic finessing of field guides; from the Paradise Parrot's tragic fall into extinction to the everyday enjoyment of a Magpie's carol; from the evolution of citizen science to the boom in birding tourism. Interlacing them all is the insight that birdwatching is a means by which modern, urban people reach out to touch the wild. A primal desire to connect with nature lies at the heart of the pastime.
Enchantment by Birds not only offers a compelling exposition of what makes birders tick; it also tells us, imaginatively and informatively, why birds have a special place in our hearts.
Review
Tamuz Ellazam
Reading, like birdwatching, draws participants of every plumage, from the studious (ornithologists), to the appreciative (birdwatchers) and the voracious list-tickers among us (twitchers). Russell McGregor’s Enchantment by Birds is for all types of readers and birders – it’s a history of science, culture and the birdwatching community, a love letter to the Australian landscape, an education for the uninitiated and a delight for any appreciator of eloquent and enthusiastic writing.
The chapters are each written in honour of a species of bird, emblematic of different elements of the birdwatcher’s art (collecting, conservation, categorisation and many more). From Bowerbird to ‘Bin Chicken’, McGregor builds a case for our continued (and considered) responsibility to and enjoyment of our local (and introduced) feathered neighbours. In addition to chapters on more scientific questions such as taxonomy (‘Jacky Winter: Names’) and guidebook design (‘Collared Sparrowhawk: Innovating’), McGregor also presents more philosophical and approachable musings. These include issues such as ‘invasive’ species (‘Common Myna: Foreigners’), the magic of birdsong (‘White-throated Gerygone: Melody’), and the now-controversial practice of enticing birds to your garden with tasty treats (‘Rainbow Lorikeet: Feeding’).
McGregor summons a dizzying flock of quotations, and historical and personal anecdotes, resulting in an ornithological anthology – a collection of some of the best and most evocative language from the last 120+ years, mapping out changing attitudes and approaches to the art, science and methods of birdwatching.
Enchantment by Birds is not just a history of birds, but a history of Australia – our changing relationship with our environment, race, culture and class through our engagement with nature.
Whether you’re an avid avian enthusiast or as-yet uninitiated, Enchantment by Birds will open a door into understanding not just why so many Australians are passionate about birds today, but how that passion has evolved over the last century.
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