A world on the wing : the global odyssey of migratory birds / Scott Weidensaul.
| Author/creator | Weidensaul, Scott author. |
| Format | Book |
| Edition | First edition. |
| Publication | New York, NY : W. W. Norton & Company, [2021] |
| Description | 385 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : color illustrations, maps ; 25 cm |
| Subjects |
| Contents | Prologue -- Spoonies -- Quantum leap -- We used to think -- Big data, big trouble -- Hangover -- Tearing up the calendar -- Aguiluchos redux -- Off the shelf -- To hide from God -- Eninum -- Epilogue. |
| Abstract | An exhilarating exploration of the science and wonder of global bird migration. In the past two decades, our understanding of the navigational and physiological feats that enable birds to cross immense oceans, fly above the highest mountains, or remain in unbroken flight for months at a stretch has exploded. What we've learned of these key migrations - how billions of birds circumnavigate the globe, flying tens of thousands of miles between hemispheres on an annual basis - is nothing short of extraordinary. Bird migration entails almost unfathomable endurance, like a sparrow-sized sandpiper that will fly nonstop from Canada to Venezuela - the equivalent of running 126 consecutive marathons without food, water, or rest - avoiding dehydration by "drinking" moisture from its own muscles and organs, while orienting itself using the earth's magnetic field through a form of quantum entanglement that made Einstein queasy. Crossing the Pacific Ocean in nine days of nonstop flight, as some birds do, leaves little time for sleep, but migrants can put half their brains to sleep for a few seconds at a time, alternating sides - and their reaction time actually improves. These and other revelations convey both the wonder of bird migration and its global sweep, from the mudflats of the Yellow Sea in China to the remote mountains of northeastern India to the dusty hills of southern Cyprus. This breathtaking work of nature writing from Pulitzer Prize finalist Scott Weidensaul also introduces readers to those scientists, researchers, and bird lovers trying to preserve global migratory patterns in the face of climate change and other environmental challenges. Drawing on his own extensive fieldwork, in A World on the Wing Weidensaul unveils with dazzling prose the miracle of nature taking place over our heads. -- From dust jacket. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 353-373) and index. |
| Genre/form | Creative nonfiction. |
| Genre/form | Creative nonfiction. |
| LCCN | 2020028997 |
| ISBN | 9780393608908 hardcover |
| ISBN | 0393608905 hardcover |
| ISBN | electronic publication |
| Standard identifier# | 40030495214 |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joyner | General Stacks | QL698.9 .W455 2021 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |