The feather wars And the great crusade to save America's birds

This dazzling account from journalist McCommons (Camera Hunter) examines how the "meanness... and greed" of the indiscriminate slaughter of birds in turn-of-the-20th-century America prompted a diverse array of figures to take up the cause of conservation. McCommons traces the country's path from bird destruction to bird salvation beginning with the lives of America's earliest ornithologists, many of whom started out killing birds for their collections. Wild birds in this era typically fell to less academic aims, however: game birds were sold to grocers, songbirds were added to the stewpots of immigrants, and plumes were plucked for the millinery trade. After the death of the last wild passenger pigeon in 1903, it "took decades for the... fog of self-deception to lift," McCommons writes. But once awareness reached the public that "dozens of species" were in danger, there was "a spiritual awakening." McCommons spotlights the disparate coalition who brought this knowledge to the masses, among them Boston socialite Harriet Hemenway, who launched a bird hat boycott, and Tabasco sauce manufacturer E.A. McIlhenny, who captured the horrors of a "plume hunt" on film. McCommons adorns his narrative with colorful characters that bring fascinating depth to the historical period, such as boys whose childhoods were spent subsistence hunting. The result is an immersive saga of a shift in both public conscience and everyday practice. (Mar.)

The late 19th century was not a good time for North American birds, which were being hunted (for food, sport, and feathers) to the brink of extinction, until bird lovers intervened and called for protection. Journalist McCommons's (Camera Hunter) account meticulously guides readers through the battles of the feather wars as politicians, socialites, artists, tycoons, gun makers, and game wardens collaborated to preserve birds and their habitats. The stories shared are truly awe-inspiring, as the bird crusade brought together the unlikeliest of allies who triumphed against overwhelming odds. McCommons hopes this account will serve as proof that big problems are not insurmountable. This is a timely message, as the United States once again faces a bird extinction crisis. The chapters are easy to follow, though descriptions of bird slaughter can be graphic. Contemporary photographs are sprinkled throughout the well-researched book for which McCommons visited libraries, museums, national parks, and wildlife refuges. There is an extensive notes section at the book's end. VERDICT The chronicle of the fight to save birds will have widespread appeal to bird lovers, nature enthusiasts, and readers interested in environmental conservation.--Laura Nan Hargrove

America's avian history. McCommons, an environmental and travel journalist, writes, "When looking at the century-long fight to save America's birds, it's important to remember the victories." While the book is full of birds being driven to extinction, skinned and feathered, and "blown to bits," it's really the story of the United States' slow victory in keeping its diverse array of birds alive. The book opens with the story of early "shotgun ornithologists": Without adequate binoculars in the 19th century, the only way to study birds was to shoot them down and examine their corpses. From the difference between Native American hunting bows and Jamestown settlers' clumsy muskets to the contemporary threat of reflective high-rise windows, the book can be read as a history of the U.S. through birds, as, oddly enough, one can't fully be told without the other. For example, readers may be surprised to learn that a landmark Supreme Court decision about "whether federal law supersedes state law" was originally brought to court over how to enforce the Migratory Bird Act. The author's historiography is also current--he doesn't shy away from the fact that James Audubon financed his successes by selling enslaved people, and he focuses on the impact of lesser-known female ornithologists such as Florence Merriam. His prose shines, as when recounting massive flocks of passenger pigeons darkening the sky for hours in the 1850s and '60s: "Pigeons…spooked horses, impelled children to run for home, and caused the pious to drop to their knees in prayer. The throb and rush of air from beating wings went on all day while excrement fell like a snow, frosting the streets and buildings." If the book stutters, it's because it may be too comprehensive--readers may feel bogged down when McCommons zeroes in on not just bird hunters, but the middlemen who sold birds, or when he repeatedly returns to the subject of feather hats. A definitive history of bird conservation in America. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.