“An enthralling volume that explores all aspects of the biology of birds and the fascinating world of the people who study them.” —Richard Cannings, author of An Enchantment of Birds

“Lively, insightful and packed with surprises, The Wisdom of Birds illuminates both the mysteries of bird life and the drama of scientific discovery.”—Candace Savage, author of Crows: Encounters with the Wise Guys of the Avian World

For thousands of years people have been fascinated by birds, and today that fascination continues to grow. In 2007 bird-watching was one of the most popular pastimes worldwide, with interest ranging from the specialist to the beginner.

Acclaimed for “his expert grasp of the science…[and] his capacity to make it not just comprehensible, but fascinating” (New Statesman), Tim Birkhead transports the reader into the extraordinary lives of birds—from conception and egg, through territory and song, to migration and fully fledged breeder. Along the way he tells enthralling stories of ornithological superstitions and untested “truths” over the centuries.

Only in the nineteenth century did the belief that swallows hibernated under water give way to general acceptance of the facts of migration. In the same century, Darwin chose not to dwell on the sexual promiscuity of female birds to spare the blushes of his daughter, who was helping to correct the proofs of The Descent of Man.