Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Science writer Heisman debuts with a winning examination of the seasonal movements of birds, tracing how scientific understanding of bird migration has evolved and detailing the technologies that ornithologists employ to study them today. Highlighting improbable theories proposed throughout history, she notes that Aristotle believed some "winter and summer residents were in fact the same birds in different plumages," a 16th-century Swedish priest thought swallows hibernated at the bottom of lakes, and an English minister postulated that birds wintered on the moon. Contemporary scientists, the author notes, track flocks via radar and search for clues about where a bird traveled from by analyzing deuterium ("a very special type of hydrogen atom") isotopes in feathers and matching them to regional variations in deuterium levels. She profiles the ornithologists behind these advances and tells how, for instance, evolutionary biologist Thomas Smith built on genome-sequencing technology to map genetic variation in warblers, finding that distinct genetic groups follow different migratory routes. Heisman pulls off the impressive feat of making technical discussions of genome sequencing and isotope analysis accessible, and the profiles offer revealing glimpses into the process and production of scientific knowledge. Admirers of Scott Weidensaul's A World on the Wing will find this a treat. (Mar.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
How do birds manage to fly thousands of miles each fall and spring, spanning continents and oceans? As science writer and self-proclaimed bird nerd Heisman explains, in recent decades dedicated scientists have thrown themselves into answering that question, investigating takeoff and landing points, flight paths, and the challenges along the way. For all those bird watchers out there; with a 60,000-copy first printing.
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
An in-depth look at how scientists track bird migration. Modern technology for tracking migratory birds can sound like something out of science fiction--e.g., analyzing the hydrogen isotopes of a single feather can indicate the breeding range of a particular species. Weather data can show their migration patterns on radar, and minuscule devices can be implanted under feathers, using the movement of the sun to determine their location. Earlier techniques, on the other hand, bordered on the mystical: moon-watching parties, for example, where ornithologists would spend hours with a telescope, waiting for a bird to fly across the full moon. In her debut book, Heisman, who studied zoology in college and has worked with a variety of bird-related groups, including the American Ornithological Society, "the world's largest professional organization for scientists who study birds," creates a skillful and accessible narrative about how we research and understand bird migration, from the first birds ever to be banded to current methodologies. As the author shows, community science, where people who track birds as a hobby contribute essential data, is more important than ever in the current era of dramatic climate change. "Although tiny transmitters, mass spectrometers, and Doppler radar stations are great," notes Heisman, "if you have a smartphone in your pocket, you already have all the equipment you need to join the cause of studying and conserving migratory birds." With apps like eBird, it's easy to track bird species and locations, providing valuable insight into migration patterns and disruption. In North America, bird populations have declined by nearly 30% since 1970, so initiatives for better understanding migration patterns are more important than ever. As Heisman asserts, "in the Anthropocene, even birds capable of the most extreme physiological feats will need human help to survive into the future." Understanding and tracking bird migration is the first step. A fascinating treat for avid bird-watchers. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
