The thing with feathers : the surprising lives of birds, and what they reveal about being human
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references (pages 267-280) and index.

Explores the lives of birds, illuminating their surprising world and deep connection with humanity. Birds are highly intelligent animals, yet their intelligence is dramatically different from our own and has been little understood. As scientists come to understand more about the secrets of bird life, they are unlocking insights into memory, game theory, and the nature of intelligence itself. This book explores the astonishing homing abilities of pigeons, the good deeds of fairy-wrens, the influential flocking abilities of starlings, the deft artistry of bowerbirds, the extraordinary memories of nutcrackers, the lifelong loves of albatross, and other mysteries, revealing why birds do what they do, and offering a glimpse into our own nature. The author is a birder and naturalist who has traveled the world in pursuit of his flighty subjects. Drawing deep from personal experience, cutting-edge science, and colorful history, he spins captivating stories about the birds in our midst and reveals the startlingly intimate coexistence of birds and humans. He shows how our view of the world is often, and remarkably, through the experience of birds. This is an enlightening journey into the lives of birds. -- Provided by publisher.