L'Énigme de la Chouette: 50 Histoires Illustrées [A Parliament of Owls]

About this book

Language: French

Owls have always featured prominently in the mythology and folklore of a variety of cultures. These mysterious nocturnal creatures are thought to be symbols of wisdom, omens of death, and bringers of prophecy, and they have intrigued humankind since the earliest times.

To the ornithologist, of course, owls are simply birds of prey that are supremely adapted to hunting after dark. Equipped with extraordinary sensory perception that allows them to operate in complete darkness, they have evolved an impressive variety of forms. Common to all are the hooked bill and needle-sharp talons weapons every bit as lethal as those of eagles and other diurnal raptors. Among the owl's unusual features are flight feathers with unzipped barbs that effectively silence its approach, and ears placed asymmetrically on the head, allowing it to calculate distance in the vertical as well as the horizontal plane and thus make pinpoint accurate strikes in pitch darkness by hearing alone.

A lavish celebration of these compelling birds, L'Énigme de la Chouette looks at fifty of the most striking and interesting owl species around the world. It paints detailed portraits of characters as diverse as the Snowy Owl, which captures lemmings on the Arctic tundra, and the Burrowing Owl, which lives in dusty hollows beneath the South American pampas.

Mike Unwin, who has watched and admired owls all over the world, captures the essence of each species, while explaining the unique natural history that has made these silent assassins the most effective feathered predators of darkness. Along the way he describes a fascinating range of breeding and hunting behaviour, the unusual calls that have given rise to so much superstition, and the cultural impact of owls around the world.

A stunning range of photographs, taken and compiled by David Tipling, one of Britain's foremost bird photographers, captures the beauty of each species and the drama of the landscapes they inhabit.

Summary in French:
Un livre à la gloire des hiboux et des chouettes.

Les rapaces nocturnes intriguent depuis la nuit des temps. Leur mode de vie et leurs prouesses prédatrices ont suscité, dans l'imagination fertile des hommes, de nombreux mythes et superstitions. Dotés de sens extraordinaires qui leur permettent d'opérer dans le noir absolu, ils ont développé une impressionnante variété de formes.

Somptueux hommage à ces oiseaux fascinants, cet ouvrage présente une cinquantaine d'espèces de tous les continents, parmi les plus remarquables, depuis les forêts sombres et froides du Grand Nord jusqu'aux rivières tropicales du Sud-Est asiatique et aux savanes arides d'Afrique. 200 photographies rendent hommage à la majesté de ces prédateurs mystérieux.

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