Through a unique combination of rarity value, great aesthetic appeal and enduring scientific interest, the Pallas's Warbler has for more than two centuries exercised the most remarkable hold on our collective imagination.
Wherever our investigations or recreations have taken us, the Pallas's Warbler has remained a constant presence and preoccupation. Featuring prominently in the Imperial pursuits of explorer naturalists, the exploits of collectors in Victorian Britain, the development of zoological nomenclature, the heyday of migration studies, the rise of recreational birdwatching, the development of bird illustration, the study of avian vagrancy and, now, today's taxonomic upheavals, its story is central to, perhaps even synonymous with, much of our ornithological history.
Siberia's Sprite sets out to explore this history, to understand our lasting relationship with this tiny bird and its place in our fascinations and desires.
"[...] While something of a niche topic, Siberia's Sprite is a fascinating and educating read that delves much deeper than just its subject species. It explores ornithological progression throughout the ages in one of the world's most enchanting (and least known) wildernesses – Siberia. It also reflects on the rise of birdwatching and the advances of taxonomical nomenclature and illustration to the modern day. This is an absorbing read that I'm sure many keen birders will enjoy, particularly those with a wider interest in the history of ornithology."
– Josh Jones, Friday 8th July 2016, www.birdguides.com