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The Thing with Feathers: The Surprising Lives of Birds and What They Reveal About Being Human Paperback – March 3, 2015

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 949 ratings

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"[Strycker] thinks like a biologist but writes like a poet." -- Wall Street Journal

An entertaining and profound look at 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 we learn more about the secrets of bird life, we are unlocking fascinating insights into memory, relationships, game theory, and the nature of intelligence itself.

The Thing with Feathers 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 albatrosses, and other mysteries—revealing why birds do what they do, and offering a glimpse into our own nature.

Drawing deep from personal experience, cutting-edge science, and colorful history, Noah Strycker spins captivating stories about the birds in our midst and shares the startlingly intimate coexistence of birds and humans. With humor, style, and grace, he shows how our view of the world is often, and remarkably, through the experience of birds. You’ve never read a book about birds like this one.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for The Thing with Feathers

"Mr. Strycker has the ability to write about the worlds of man and fowl without simplifying either....
He thinks like a biologist but writes like a poet, and one of the small pleasures of The Thing With Feathers is watching him distill empirical research into lyrical imagery.... Part the palm fronds behind his sentences, and you can almost see the British naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough standing there in a pith helmet, smiling with amused approval at Mr. Strycker's off-center sensibility." – Wall Street Journal

The Thing With Feathers turns a shrewd, comparative eye on a succession of bird families to explore what [Strycker] calls their ‘human’ characteristics…This is an engaging work which illuminates something profound about all life, including our own.” –The Economist

"Lovely, provocative..." – Robert Krulwich, NPR

"Fascinating" –
Minneapolis Star-Tribune

"
One of the best bird books you’ll read this decade. Guaranteed." -- BirdWatching

The Things With Feathers will encourage you to take a closer look at the natural world around you, and perhaps learn more not only about what you see but who you are." – Seattle Times

“[Strycker] combines the latest in ornithological science with snippets of history and his own vast experience in the field to hatch a thoroughly entertaining examination of bird behavior… In Strycker’s absorbing survey, we find out how much fun it is simply to watch them.” –
Booklist, STARRED

“[Strycker’s] prose is difficult to stop reading.” –
Publishers Weekly

“A delightful book with broad appeal.” –
Kirkus Reviews

“A dazzling variety of avian subjects, including connections between birds and humans.” –
Library Journal

“There’s bird watching, then there is obsessing over why nearly 2,500 different species do the things they do. That’s Noah Strycker, and this lovely book is compelling to those that chart the different birds they see on walks, and the rest of us who just gaze longingly at them as they fly through the air.” –
Flavorwire

“Noah Strycker explores the increasing likelihood that birds enjoy a vastly richer intellectual, emotional and even artistic life than we smug humans have ever suspected. Read this book.” – Scott Weidensaul, author of
Living on the Wind and The First Frontier

"As the 'owner' of a dancing Green-cheeked Conure, as a life-long pigeon-lover, seabird researcher, and falcon enthusiast, I can tell you that not only is this book full of solid information—I expected that—but as a writer I am astonished at how loose and easy Noah Strycker has made the reading for us. This is an insightful and wonderfully companionable book. I can’t wait to read more from Strycker; meanwhile we have this gem."  – Carl Safina, author of 
Song for the Blue Ocean and The View From Lazy Point.

“A thoughtful, engaging book, encompassing pigeon races, physics, vulture baiting, the Backstreet Boys, and a mathematical model applicable to both tennis rankings and chicken hierarchies—a work of dazzling range, nimbly written
.” – Brian Kimberling, author of Snapper

“I’ve read books about birds all of my life and this is the one I’ve been waiting for
. Birds have a great deal to teach us. Strycker loves birds, understands their magic and mystery, and can extrapolate from their behavior wisdom for us all. At last we have a book worthy of this subject.” – Mary Pipher, author of The Green Boat

 

About the Author

Noah Strycker has studied birds in some of the world’s most extreme environments, from the high Arctic to the Amazon jungle and Australian bush, and is an associate editor of the American Birding Association’s magazine, Birding. His previous book, Among Penguins, describes a summer in an isolated Antarctic field camp. Noah writes, lectures, and lives near Eugene, Oregon, between field seasons.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Riverhead Books; Reprint edition (March 3, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 159463341X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1594633416
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.51 x 0.63 x 8.24 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 949 ratings

About the author

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Noah K. Strycker
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Noah Strycker is living an adventurous life of birds. In 2015, he set a world record by observing 6,042 species of birds in one year - as described in his new book, "Birding Without Borders." He is also author of "The Thing With Feathers," about the fascinating world of bird behavior, and "Among Penguins," about a summer in an Antarctic research camp.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
949 global ratings

Review this product

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Customers say

Customers enjoy the book and find it fascinating. They appreciate the eye-opening research and insights into bird behavior. The writing style is well-written and literate. Readers appreciate the excellent bird drawings and stunning imagery. The humor and imagination are appreciated.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

89 customers mention "Readability"89 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and well-researched. They appreciate the personal observations and detailed research. The stunning imagery is a highlight. The book provides an excellent introduction for generalists and sparks their interest.

"...Strycker is an excellent writer, a creative thinker, a thorough researcher, a passionate lover of those things with feathers...." Read more

"...has done the field work, and the writing skills to make this volume worth having and likely reading more than once." Read more

"Wonderful book! I am an avid birder. I got to know the birds chosen for each chapter in greater detail and that was great...." Read more

"...THINGS WITH FEATHERS is unique and wonderful. Each chapter presents something quite unusual in a particular type of bird...." Read more

67 customers mention "Research quality"67 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's research quality. They find it insightful and moving, providing unique perspectives on bird behavior and how it reflects on humans. The book provides thought-provoking analyses and considers more than just ornithology.

"...birds, and even though most have been full of information, studiously presented, competently written...well, sometimes they are a bit dry, tedious,..." Read more

"...the precision of starling flocks, why white owls wander, the aggression of hummingbirds, penguin fear rhythm in parrots and true and undying love in..." Read more

"Wonderful book! I am an avid birder. I got to know the birds chosen for each chapter in greater detail and that was great...." Read more

"...There are many excellent books on birds currently available which TTWF will not replace; however, it will serve as an excellent complement to stand..." Read more

43 customers mention "Insight"40 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the book's insights about birds. They find it enlightening, with interesting anecdotes and personal observations. The author balances witty anecdote with technical, peer-reviewed articles in a readable and surprising way.

"...He has the credentials of a scientist, the widsom of an observer who has done the field work, and the writing skills to make this volume worth..." Read more

"...used to present the examples and the insights shared, whether personal or factual. There was nothing I did not love about this experience." Read more

"...Strycker is a gifted writer and is able to reveal the wonder in what might seem to most of us to be mundane observations...." Read more

"Well written and fascinating, this book will make anyone with an interest in bird behavior look upon our winged neighbors with renewed admiration..." Read more

37 customers mention "Writing style"34 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the book's writing style. They find it well-written, with interesting insights and insightful examples. The language is impeccable, literate, and scholarly. Readers appreciate the author's thoroughness and attention to precise detail. Overall, they describe the book as an entertaining read that draws on a wide range of literature.

"...most have been full of information, studiously presented, competently written...well, sometimes they are a bit dry, tedious, meant to be picked up..." Read more

"...the widsom of an observer who has done the field work, and the writing skills to make this volume worth having and likely reading more than once." Read more

"...by this author's choice of birds to focus on, the impeccable language used to present the examples and the insights shared, whether personal or..." Read more

"...Strycker is a gifted writer and is able to reveal the wonder in what might seem to most of us to be mundane observations...." Read more

7 customers mention "Art direction"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's art direction. They find the bird drawings and sketches excellent, with stunning imagery. The well-written information about different birds is also appreciated.

"...author discusses such items as altruism, love, fear, competition, artistic ability, and other topics and while focusing mainly on how these diverse..." Read more

"Stunning imagery and good for learning. So wonderful to experience things through the minds of those with varying interests and expertise." Read more

"...also illustrated the opening page of each new chapter with excellent bird drawings. How can someone so young have all of the talent?!" Read more

"Draws on a large literature, fascinating in depth sketches of radically different species, using as a hook similarities and difference from humans..." Read more

6 customers mention "Humor"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the humor in the book.

"...Humor is also present. The author does to seem to take himself too seriously, and sometimes, had me laughing our loud...." Read more

"...I appreciated the underlying humor. It wasn't forced or artificial, but flowed smoothly and subtly throughout...." Read more

"...-to-earth way, using touching scenarios, personal stories, and lots and lots of humor. A great gift for the bird lover in your life!" Read more

"...for decades, this book was both interesting, revealing, and somewhat humorous." Read more

6 customers mention "Imagination"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book imaginative and informative. They appreciate its unique insights into science and find it charming.

"...Strycker is an excellent writer, a creative thinker, a thorough researcher, a passionate lover of those things with feathers...." Read more

"...THINGS WITH FEATHERS is unique and wonderful. Each chapter presents something quite unusual in a particular type of bird...." Read more

"...Great research, personal stories and imaginative interpretations make this very readable." Read more

"In the genre of accessible science, this book provides unique and marvelous insights into bird behavior and how it reflects on the behavior of the..." Read more

Awesome book
5 out of 5 stars
Awesome book
Packaged well. Delivered on time.Book is well written, easy and fun to read. A must buy
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2015
    This is the BEST!!! I've read a lot of books about birds, and even though most have been full of information, studiously presented, competently written...well, sometimes they are a bit dry, tedious, meant to be picked up occasionally, but tough to sit down and read through. Dense? Maybe so. Strycker's book is absolutely wonderful, incredibly engaging from the first page to the last. Yes, every topic is VERY well researched, from how turkey vultures manage to locate dead yum yums (and it's not what you would think--a great sniffer, right?) to why snowy owls sometimes appear in the least likely locations--again, not what you would think...I tend to tear through a book that I am enjoying, but this experience was very different. I savored each chapter, set the book aside for a bit--and tried to stifle my appetite a bit to enjoy the next terrific piece. Strycker is an excellent writer, a creative thinker, a thorough researcher, a passionate lover of those things with feathers. --And his examination of birds goes beyond that to reflect on us, those things without feathers!
    63 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2023
    If you sometimes prefer birds to people, this will help you decide. You will be enlightened at the intertwining of scholarship and whimsy that Noah Strycker shares on behalf of birds. He has the credentials of a scientist, the widsom of an observer who has done the field work, and the writing skills to make this volume worth having and likely reading more than once.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2014
    I was looking for a good anecdotal addition to my growing interest in birds when I ran across the listing for this book and its quirky title. Had I stopped looking after reading the title I probably would have moved on, but it was the subtitle ("The Surprising Lives of Birds and What They Reveal About Being Human,") that gave me reason to explore further. How could knowing about birds - even a selected list of birds - teach us anything about our humanity?

    Within its pages, Noah Strycker creates a compelling case for how living creatures are often like other living creatures; he shows us the mysteries that make us wonder; the baffling realizations that drive us to study birds at all. It transcends mere human psychology, exploring the abilities of homing pigeons, the precision of starling flocks, why white owls wander, the aggression of hummingbirds, penguin fear rhythm in parrots and true and undying love in albatrosses. It directly addresses the question: why are birds the way they are?

    It also defines the fascinating career of young Noah Strycker, a seasoned and widely experienced ornithologist (and associate editor of "Birding" magazine), whose avian curiosity drives the passion behind the quest to understand the brains of birds and how that relates to how we humans think, or, as Strycker writes, "This book may be about the bird world, but it's also about the human world."

    In its largest sense, Strycker analyses the physical, mental, and spiritual lives of birds from around the world through each of his more than a dozen selected breeds; more than that, it's how he sections his work.

    And for those looking for " an anecdotal addition" to their interest in birds, this might just be THE book you were looking for, and THE author to present it to you.
    31 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2022
    I am not a "birder". I watch and enjoy birds but basically know very little. I was fascinated by this author's choice of birds to focus on, the impeccable language used to present the examples and the insights shared, whether personal or factual. There was nothing I did not love about this experience.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2022
    Wonderful book! I am an avid birder. I got to know the birds chosen for each chapter in greater detail and that was great. But there is so much more information here that relates to birds but not directly about birds. It kept my interest and was stimulating and fun to read. Bravo!
    7 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2014
    I suspected that this might be a special book so I ordered a hard back book with paper pages. This was a special decision for me, since I been reading Kindle books, and nothing but Kindle books for over two years. It was a good decision since, I will be going back to reread parts, or possibly the whole book, again maybe more than once. I am not a "birder", and have no intention of identifying birds and keeping lists of those I see. THINGS WITH FEATHERS is unique and wonderful. Each chapter presents something quite
    unusual in a particular type of bird. The knowledge that the author has for each bird is vast, and the result of travel and following birds into their habitat for long periods of time. In addition to that, much study of science, music, physics and anything related to the aspect of the bird behavior he is presenting. Humor is also present. The author does to seem to take himself too seriously, and sometimes, had me laughing our loud. I'm a painter, and not a book reviewer - so will use the new appreciation I have of birds, in my paintings, and have already done so.
    48 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • ANTONIO Flores Gonzalez
    5.0 out of 5 stars Me gustó mucho el tema y el enfoque
    Reviewed in Mexico on May 6, 2024
    Me gustó como el autor aborda el tema, el enfoque, que no tiene citas a pie de página, están en el texto.
    Me gustó, también, que llegó rápido.
  • Soplica
    5.0 out of 5 stars The book was fine
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 21, 2022
    as above
  • swaraj raj
    5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading for all book lovers
    Reviewed in India on October 21, 2019
    An essential, recommended reading for bird lovers. Very well written. Very interesting details about different species of birds are provided in a manner that makes thisis book simply unputdownable.
  • Alanda
    5.0 out of 5 stars A very fine read.
    Reviewed in Canada on July 17, 2015
    This book delighted me. Stryker is an engaging enthusiast and I learned so much, both about birds and people. I've loaned the book to friends and they have felt the same; found the book informative, intriguing, and knowledgeable.
  • Charlotte Davis
    5.0 out of 5 stars Surprising actions among birds
    Reviewed in Germany on August 4, 2016
    Mr Stryker gives episodic accounts of birds' reactions, actions, strategies in coping with the challenges they encounter on a daily basis or even in one-time events. These episodes put paid to the notion that birds are only pretty automatons that make (for the most part) pleasant sounds by demonstrating objectively that they definitely are more than that. What I found very useful was the introduction to the anatomy of a bird's brain whose degree of complexity in some cases places it on the same level as that of primates. This book is an excellent combination of science and of accounts of and experiences with birds, making the book readable for anyone who is interested in or curious about these beings - who, by the way, are the last decendants of a branch of predatory dinosaurs - thus leading on to a journey of discovery that will both delight and astonish..