Review by Booklist Review
Journalist Goldberg invites readers to step beyond Times Square and pizza rats into a New York City that's a vital flyway and natural oasis for more than 400 bird species. This collection of vignettes is a jewel for birders new and old as well as for locals unaware of the natural marvels pocketed between boroughs, such as Staten Island's West Shore prairie. From placid bird walks in Green-Wood Cemetery to summer showdowns between piping plover allies and beachgoers, Goldberg weaves human and natural history, creating a mosaic of ecology, journalism, and community portraiture. He also surfaces thorny ethical questions, like whether it's okay to knowingly sacrifice thousands of migrating birds to honor the victims of the 9/11 attacks with the Tribute in Light. Seasoned birders will appreciate the focus on migration patterns, conservation efforts, and the delightful characters (and unspoken etiquette) that make up the city's energetic birding scene. Newcomers will treasure the recommended apps, blogs, and birding hotspots. Accessibly written yet rigorously reported, Bird City beautifully blends science and wonder. Many will raise their binoculars to Goldberg.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Journalist and birder Goldberg debuts with a vivid account of New York City's vast and diverse bird population. Noting that around 430 bird species have been found in New York, more than a third of the species found in the entire country, Goldberg writes, "They're packed in just like us, shoulder to shoulder, fighting for their place here." Over the course of four seasons, he journeys through the five boroughs to examine rare and common birds, learning how and why they make the concrete jungle their home. He details how peregrine falcons, once endangered, were bred in captivity and reintroduced to New York City in the 1980s, where they easily adapted, needing only "a tray of sand and gravel on a skyscraper ledge" to build a nest, and chronicles the story of Flaco, the Eurasian eagle-owl who fled the Central Park Zoo in 2023 and made Manhattan his home, inspiring a fandom in the process. Throughout, Goldberg captures in spirited prose the thrill of spotting a species for the first time and the dedication of volunteers who advocated for bird-safe glass in new buildings; it's estimated that more than 230,000 birds die each year from crashing into the city's windows. New Yorkers will be awed to learn of the wildlife that surrounds them. (Nov.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
In his first book, journalist Goldberg invites readers to share in the flourishing New York City birdwatching scene. Relating how birding allows urbanites like himself to reconnect with nature, Goldberg recounts his adventures in places such as Central Park, the Bronx, and Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery, revealing the astonishing variety of birds that visit the Big Apple throughout the year. Between eloquent descriptions of encounters with various species, Goldberg informs readers of the perils that face birds in an increasingly urbanized world: from the reflective glass of skyscrapers that result in thousands of collisions a year, to the light pollution that obscures the starlight that nocturnal migrators use for navigation. In discussing the city's "celebrity" birds (like Flaco the owl), Goldberg notes how all that human attention can be a double-edged sword. Altogether, the book is an uplifting and hopeful tribute to avian resilience and adaptability, as well as a love letter to a community of disparate birders whose cooperation and tireless efforts have helped protect the creatures they admire. VERDICT Goldberg's enthusiasm for birds will inspire many readers to pick up their binoculars and head outside, in New York City and elsewhere.--Sara Shreve
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A primer on New York City birds for experts and beginners alike. Goldberg, an independent journalist whose work has been featured in theNew York Times, has been watching birds since only 2016, yet it didn't take long for it to become an obsession. The author goes birding almost every day near his home in Brooklyn, and these experiences serve as jumping-off points for a wide range of birding topics. An early chapter covering house sparrows and European starlings delves into the history of these invasive species and how to consider their place among native species. A later chapter on fall migrants covers how the artificial lights of cities draw birds in and cause them to collide with buildings. This is an informative and easy read, and Goldberg's experience as a journalist stands out. He succinctly and expertly renders the colorful birds and birders he comes across, such as the secretive Owl Whisperer, the controversial Birding Bob, and New York's celebrity owl, Flaco. In addition to a wealth of information, he doesn't shy away from poetic descriptions, such as this one about a peregrine falcon: "Her dark helmet matched the gunpowder color of the cross, and she sank her yellow talons into the pigeon as she tore it apart. Twenty minutes later, all that remained of the pigeon was a skeleton, which the peregrine unceremoniously flicked off the cross. Then she faced the cold wind and kept watch over the neighborhood the rest of the day, flying away at dusk." The book rarely leaves New York, so Goldberg's experiences might not appeal as much to birders in other parts of the world. But his enthusiasm for birds makes this an enjoyable read for anyone looking to learn about urban birding. An informative read for any birder, and a must-read for New York City ones. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
