The bird book for birders and nonbirders alike that will excite and inspire by providing a new
and deeper understanding of what common mostly backyard birds are doing--and why Can birds
smell? Is this the same cardinal that was at my feeder last year? Do robins 'hear' worms? In
What It's Like to Be a Bird David Sibley answers the most frequently asked questions about the
birds we see most often. This special large-format volume is geared as much to nonbirders as
it is to the out-and-out obsessed covering more than two hundred species and including more
than 330 new illustrations by the author. While its focus is on familiar backyard birds--blue
jays nuthatches chickadees--it also examines certain species that can be fairly easily
observed such as the seashore-dwelling Atlantic puffin. David Sibley's exacting artwork and
wide-ranging expertise bring observed behaviors vividly to life. (For most species the primary
illustration is reproduced life-sized.) And while the text is aimed at adults--including
fascinating new scientific research on the myriad ways birds have adapted to environmental
changes--it is nontechnical making it the perfect occasion for parents and grandparents to
share their love of birds with young children who will delight in the big full-color
illustrations of birds in action. Unlike any other book he has written What It's Like to Be a
Bird is poised to bring a whole new audience to David Sibley's world of birds.
