Overview

The world's leading authority on the extinct Labrador Duck, Dr. Glen Chilton, shares the story of his frenzied obsession to reveal the histories behind the mysterious bird - a saga wherein he sets out to examine the remains of every Labrador Duck, conduct genetic analysis on every egg, and visit every site where the duck was shot, with many a (mis)adventure along the way. More elusive than the passenger pigeon, the dodo, or the Great Auk and breeding in places so obscure that no certain records exist of its nests, the Labrador Duck succumbed to extinction almost before anyone realised it was in decline. When Chilton began his travels, there were thought to be approximately fifty stuffed specimens, scattered among the museums of Europe and North America. However, as his search progressed, it became clear that some specimens had been lost to war and theft, while others lay hidden in far-flung collections, overseen by secretive curators. After travelling the equivalent of 3.3 times around the world, Chilton finally began to close in on every known specimen. A magnificent blend of travel writing, science, detective work, and mishap, this is the zany adventure of one biologist's obsessive quest to uncover the mysteries of one of the world's most enigmatic birds.

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9781439102473

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Glen Chilton is one of those great rarities -- a serious scientist who knows how to spin a fascinating yarn. The Curse of the Labrador Duck drew me in from the start and I eagerly followed Chilton's wild ride through every gritty inner-city back road, grungy gin joint, and dilapidated hotel room in North America and Europe. -- Tim Gallagher, author of The Grail Bird: The Rediscovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker The Curse of the Labrador Duck is a fascinating wild goose chase (where the geese are all dead and aren't technically geese). Glen Chilton -- currently my favorite hard-drinking ornithologist -- is a wonderful guide, with prose that calls to mind James Herriot and Bill Bryson. -- A.J. Jacobs, author of The Guinea Pig Diaries and The Year of Living Biblically The Curse of the Labrador Duck is a pleasure to read and not really about a bird at all. It's about our obsessions, and how they lead us to the most wonderful, unexpected places. Glen Chilton is a funny and engaging writer. He is also a bit insane, and thank goodness for that. -- Eric Weiner, author of The Geography of Bliss The Curse of the Labrador Duck is a fascinating wild goose chase (where the geese are all dead and aren't technically geese). Glen Chilton--currently my favorite hard-drinking ornithologist--is a wonderful guide, with prose that calls to mind James Herriot and Bill Bryson. -- A.J. Jacobs, author of The Guinea Pig Diaries and the Year of Living Biblically Glen Chilton is one of those great rarities--a serious scientist who knows how to spin a fascinating yarn. The Curse of the Labrador Duck drew me in from the start and I eagerly followed Chilton's wild ride through every gritty inner-city back road, grungy gin joint, and dilapidated hotel room in North America and Europe. -- Tim Gallagher, author of The Grail Bird: The Rediscovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker The Curse of the Labrador Duck is a pleasure to read and not really about a bird at all. It's about our obsessions, and how they lead us to the most wonderful, unexpected places. Glen Chilton is a funny and engaging writer. He is also a bit insane, and thank goodness for that. -- Eric Werner, author of The Geography of Bliss From the wilds of Nova Scotia to the neglected bowels of decrepit museums, Glen Chilton is in relentless pursuit of evidence of the extinct Labrador Duck. And the curse? You'll have to read this engaging adventure to find out. -- Tim Flannery, Author of The Weather Makers I've seen my share of strange quests, and have even taken part in a few myself, but nothing matches Glen Chilton's galloping obsession to corner the market on rare stuffed ducks. A funny, fast-paced and oddly heroic tale. -- Will Ferguson, author of Happiness Glen Chilton is one of those great rarities a serious scientist who knows how to spin a fascinating yarn. The Curse of the Labrador Duck drew me in from the start and I eagerly followed Chilton s wild ride through every gritty inner-city back road, grungy gin joint, and dilapidated hotel room in North America and Europe. Tim Gallagher, author of The Grail Bird: The Rediscovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker The Curse of the Labrador Duck is a pleasure to read and not really about a bird at all. It s about our obsessions, and how they lead us to the most wonderful, unexpected places. Glen Chilton is a funny and engaging writer. He is also a bit insane, and thank goodness for that. Eric Werner, author of The Geography of Bliss From the wilds of Nova Scotia to the neglected bowels of decrepit museums, Glen Chilton is in relentless pursuit of evidence of the extinct Labrador Duck. And the curse? You ll have to read this engaging adventure to find out. Tim Flannery, Author of The Weather Makers

The Curse of the Labrador Duck is a fascinating wild goose chase (where the geese are all dead and aren't technically geese). Glen Chilton--currently my favorite hard-drinking ornithologist--is a wonderful guide, with prose that calls to mind James Herriot and Bill Bryson. -- A.J. Jacobs, author of The Guinea Pig Diaries and the Year of Living Biblically

From the wilds of Nova Scotia to the neglected bowels of decrepit museums, Glen Chilton is in relentless pursuit of evidence of the extinct Labrador Duck. And the curse? You'll have to read this engaging adventure to find out. -- Tim Flannery, author of The Weather Makers

The Curse of the Labrador Duck is a fascinating wild goose chase (where the geese are all dead and aren t technically geese). Glen Chilton currently my favorite hard-drinking ornithologist is a wonderful guide, with prose that calls to mind James Herriot and Bill Bryson. A.J. Jacobs, author of The Guinea Pig Diaries and the Year of Living Biblically

Glen Chilton is one of those great rarities a serious scientist who knows how to spin a fascinating yarn. The Curse of the Labrador Duck drew me in from the start and I eagerly followed Chilton s wild ride through every gritty inner-city back road, grungy gin joint, and dilapidated hotel room in North America and Europe. Tim Gallagher, author of The Grail Bird: The Rediscovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker

Author Information

Glen Chilton, Ph.D., is a member of every major ornithological society. His scientific research has been published in many scholarly journals including The Auk, the most prestigious ornithological publication in the world. He lives in Australia with his wife.

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