Why We Bird

About this book

What makes birders get up early to walk through the woods or tromp through wet fields? Why do we drive a hundred miles to catch a glimpse of a rare species? Why do we keep the feeder full?

There are as many reasons to bird as there are bird lovers. In Why We Bird, longtime GGAS member and field trip leader David Rice organizes a lifetime of observation into insightful short essays on the allure and attraction of birding.

Flight, song and color. Identifications. Games. Surprises. Conservation. Stories. Solace...

There is the beauty of calling cranes and flying geese. There is the challenge of identifying (and mis-identifying!) birds. We can keep lists – of birds seen in our yard, our state, our life. We can see the world anew with every unexpected sighting. We can share stories and be part of a community of people who care about the natural world.

Birding can also bring solace: Rice describes the comfort of birding with a friend who was suffering from dementia, and birding with another friend who had recently lost her husband.

With delightful illustrations by Robin Pulich, Why We Bird will take you to many of California's top birding spots, from Tule Lake to the Salton Sea. It includes an extensive reference list of books about birding (as opposed to books about birds).

Along the way, it will spark your own thoughts about why you bird, why your friend birds – or why you might want to start birding.

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