Stuff Every Bird Lover Should Know

Introduction

“Birds will give you a window, if you allow them.” —Lyanda Lynn Haupt, Rare Encounters with Ordinary Birds

If you’re reading this book, you’ve most likely caught the bird-watching bug. Maybe it was a childhood interest that turned into a full-fledged passion. Or maybe you became enamored with our feathered friends more recently—when you sought out the slower paces of nature to cope with the pressures of modern life. Regardless, welcome. And congratulations: You’re a bird person now.

It’s a great time to get into birds. Technology has made it easier than ever to learn about and identify birds. Bird-watching has also become more diverse in recent years. LGBTQ+ folks, people of color, and those with mobility impairments have started their own birding groups to suit the needs of their communities, redefining what bird-watching is and who it’s for. Birding is no longer just about chasing the most exotic species possible, reserved only for those who have the time and luxury to travel to far-flung places. Instead, a bird person is simply someone who’s curious about their avian neighbors, whether they observe them in city parks or the remote wilderness.

If you’re a curious person, there’s much to learn when it comes to birds. Each species is full of surprises and has its own quirks. Human history has long been entangled with that of our feathered friends, and the world is full of stories of people daring to wonder what birds are and what they’re capable of. In this book, I hope to not only touch on the basics of bird biology and bird-watching tips, but also give you the tools to dig into the weird and wonderful world of birds, from behavior to migration patterns to myths, folklore, and legend.

This book is pocket-sized for your convenience. Because the best thing about being a bird-watcher, I think, is that you can do it whether you’re at home or on the go, no matter where you are in the world. Maybe you live in a more rural area and have flocks of snow geese visiting in the winter. Or maybe you’re in a city, where pigeons, sparrows, and starlings have their own interesting interconnections with humanity. Regardless of where you are and how you got started, I hope this book gives you the answers you crave as well as a whole lot of new questions to explore on your own.