This article appears in print in the March 2018 issue. Click here to subscribe.
Have you ever wondered what that little red dot on a seagull’s bill is for? Or why geese fly in a V formation? Answers to such questions—and more illuminating insights into avian species, such as the bird who grows its own snowshoes in winter, and the one who calls “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?”—are neatly compiled in BirdNote (Sasquatch, March 20, $22.95), a collection of vignettes about birds gathered from the popular, two-minute NPR segment of the same name (on KPLU-FM: 8:58 a.m., Monday–Friday; 9:30 a.m., Saturday–Sunday).
Alongside Eugene, Oregon, artist Emily Poole’s enchanting illustrations, Seattle bird expert and longtime BirdNote series editor Ellen Blackstone worked with a team of writers on the compilation, touching on interesting bird behavior, biology, songs and more. It’s a trove of trivia for anyone who’s ever wondered, “Why is that bird doing that?”
