Overview

"The surprising, rich life of tree swallows in nesting season is delightfully explored by the acclaimed, award-winning naturalist Bernd Heinrich. Heinrich is sparked one early spring day by a question: Why does a pair of swallows in a nest box close to his Maine cabin show an unvarying preference for white feathers--not easily available nearby--as nest lining? He notices, too, the extreme aggressiveness of ""his"" swallows toward some other swallows of their own kind. And he wonders, given swallows' reputation for feistiness, at the extraordinary tameness and close contact he experiences with his nesting birds. From the author of the beloved books Ravens in Winter and A Naturalist at Large comes this richly engaging view of the lives of wild birds that, as always with Heinrich, yields ""marvelous, mind-altering"" insight and discoveries (Los Angeles Times)."

Full Product Details

9781094064376

Table of Contents

Reviews

A fascinating narrative...Natural history lovers will relish this intimate look at a small but vital part of nature. -- Publishers Weekly

A search for the answer to a seemingly trivial question--why do tree swallows line their nests with white feathers?--reveals much about the nesting behavior of these wild birds but even more about the lifestyle of a dedicated scientist. -- Kirkus Reviews Heinrich writes lyrically of the joys of field research and the way research sparks new inquiries. -- Booklist PEN New England Award-winner and naturalist Heinrich again translates his painstaking fieldwork into a fascinating narrative...Natural history lovers will relish this intimate look at a small but vital part of nature. -- Publishers Weekly

Author Information

Bernd Heinrich is an acclaimed scientist and the author of numerous award-winning books, including the bestselling The Mind of the Raven, Why We Run, and Winter World. Among his many honors is the 2013 PEN New England Award in nonfiction for Life Everlasting. Mind of the Raven won the John Burroughs Medal for Natural History Writing and was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. He is a frequent contributor to national media and professor emeritus of biology at the University of Vermont. Rick Adamson is an award-winning voice artist with more than twenty years' experience in voiceovers, spoken word events, event announcing, and children's media, as well as commercials for well-known international corporations. He has narrated numerous television and film documentaries, including Croatia, co-narrated with Martin Sheen. His audiobook narration includes more than two dozen major books, as well as dozens of early-reader titles for juveniles. He won the prestigious Audie Award in 2011 for Best Inspirational/Faith-Based Fiction for In a Heartbeat, and he was among the finalists for the 2006 Audie Award for Best Personal Development/Motivational Work for Younger Next Year. He earned an AudioFile Earphones Award for the ensemble narration of Rough Water.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available