What It's Like to Be a Bird: From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing--What Birds Are Doing, and Why (Sibley Guides)

Such an enjoyable book. I've learned so much about birds that I didn't know. So much in fact that I'm reading it a second time to try to absorb better. It's also very attractive, a very nice presentation, lots of great artwork. Those that complain that it doesn't cover all birds, well maybe that's because it wasn't intended to do that. It's 203 pages as it is, with a nice assortment of species to focus on. But it also contains a lot of information that is applicable to birds in general. This is done in the Introduction, which is 32 pages. It includes sections on bird senses, physiology, movement, social behavior, and many others.Hard to imagine any birder wouldn't love this book.

The What It's Like to Be a Bird: From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing--What Birds Are Doing, and Why (Sibley Guides) Book was purchased during February of 2022 for the price of $23.48 plus tax. The book is currently available for the price of $15.10 plus tax as a Black Friday Special (November 26, 2024).This delightfully conceived book was purchased as gift for a Lady who was completely immersed in the lives of plants, flowers, and birds. Surprisingly, I used the binomial nomenclature for the tree that was being transplanted in the lounge of her residence; and she knew exactly to what plant the name was assigned. The manner in whcih she interacted with her own bird, as well as the birds that were resident in the adjacent bird sanctuary gave me the idea that a book of this nature would be a perfect gift for this individual.Honestly, it is rare to encounter someone who actually thinks about the individual experience of a bird. So, I purchased this incredibly ambitious book for someone who thoroughly appreciated the attempt that it makes.I think the effort is enhanced by the fact that instead of photography, the author utilizes very detailed illustrations. Illustrations seem to represent a more intimate understanding of the subject matter...in a way that photography, essentially, does not.In any case, this beautifully executed book is an excellent choice for that rare individual who ventures to put themselves in the existential realm of a wild bird. What an exhilaratingly uplifting mind space to which one can aspire to experience!I would, most definitely, make this purchase a multitude of times!

This book is an absolute treasure for bird lovers and nature enthusiasts! The illustrations are stunning, and the insights into bird behavior are fascinating and easy to understand. It beautifully combines science with storytelling, making it engaging for readers of all ages. I’ve learned so much about the incredible lives of birds, and it’s sparked an even deeper appreciation for these amazing creatures. Highly recommend!

Beautiful book with lovely illustrations. Well designed. Quality printing. It has great descriptions and information on each bird. I gave this as a gift to a friend who loves to photograph birds. He was very happy!

David Sibley’s bird identification books for North America are considered by bird watchers as the best. Not just good or good enough, but the BEST.David and his wife were on the National Geographic Explorer with us in 2018 on a trip to The Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Soft spoken, modest guy. He continues his life doing what was his passion since early childhood. That is: observing and drawing birds. Information and art. Based on hearing and observing him I think I can say that a near perfect day for him would be 6 hours watching and sketching every detail of a Scarlett Tanager eating elderberries followed by a an evening into night adding color and finally arriving at the image in his vision. As he explained, when he creates an image it is NOT a photo reproduction. He captures the essence of a bird so that it is more recognizable to the beholder than either the real thing or a photo.This just published What It’s Like to Be a Bird is a break with Sibley’s past in that it is NOT a bird identification book. It is NOT an ornithology text book. Also, it is NOT a sit on the coffee table art book although the images are captivating. It is a book meant to be held and read. Just let it fall open and read and let the images speak to you. And I pick it up again and again. I have not bothered to add a bookmark. I just go here and there. Beautiful pictures and vignettes on bird biology. What are the feather types? Why do bird heads appear to bob? How can Surf Scoters open and eat clams? Who knew?The images will engage the attention of children from age 2 to 100 and beyond. The age old wish to fly like a bird is still deep in our brains. Yet there is much more to birds than just flying.The overall impression brings to my mind the last sentence in Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. (Yes, it is a huge Victorian sentence!) “There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”