Birds Nonfiction

Bird-footed dinosaurs like Iguanodon were plant-eaters that could walk on two legs. Many of the dinosaurs in this group could run away from hungry predators. Others traveled in large herds to stay safe.

In 1932, Australia faced an enemy it did not know how to defeat. The enemy did not carry weapons. It did not wear uniforms. It did not negotiate. It walked on long legs, moved in scattered groups, and refused to behave like anything a modern army had trained for. The War Australia Lost to Birds tells the true story of one of the most astonishing and uncomfortable episodes in modern history: the moment a national government authorized military force against a population of emus—and failed. In the years following World War I, Australia was under immense strain. Returning soldiers were given...

The Burgess Bird Book for Children (1919) is a classic nature book by Thornton Burgess, who introduces young listeners to the subject of bird life by means of a series of interviews within a story. Peter Rabbit and Jenny Wren interview Slaty the Junco, Redwing the Blackbird, Melody the Wood Thrush, Spooky the Screech Owl, and many other common birds to learn about their appearance, their eating, mating and nesting habits, and their songs and calls. The text remains popular as an exceptional combination of information and entertainment.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER An essential volume for generations of writers young and old. The twenty-fifth anniversary edition of this modern classic will continue to spark creative minds for years to come. Anne Lamott is "a warm, generous, and hilarious guide through the writer’s world and...

How the world’s oldest asset secretly shapes our modern economy In The Land Trap, Mike Bird—Wall Street editor at The Economist—reveals how this ancient asset still exerts outsize influence over the modern world. From the speculative land grabs of colonial America to China's real estate...

In the glow of a full January moon, it is the great horned owl who first senses that it is the beginning of spring. With the first full moon - the moon of beginnings - the owl starts his annual courtship.

As heard on the New Yorker Radio Hour: The triumphant and "engaging history" (The New Yorker) of the young women who devised a winning strategy that defeated Nazi U-boats and delivered a decisive victory in the Battle of the Atlantic. By 1941, Winston Churchill had come to believe that the...

As heard on NPR's This American Life “Absorbing . . . Though it's non-fiction, The Feather Thief contains many of the elements of a classic thriller.” —Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air “One of the most peculiar and memorable true-crime books ever.” —Christian Science Monitor A...

“Spellbinding.” —Rick Perlstein * “A clever, fast-paced read of dazzling originality.” —William I. Hitchcock “An excellent new book, both important and unsettling” (The New York Times), Ghosts of Iron Mountain unravels the astounding origins and far-reaching impacts of a...

Tweet! Tweet! Birds make fun pets. Some are small, and some are tall. Some are colorful, and some have crests. Young listeners will learn about the appearance, behavior, and abilities of pet birds and discover why these feathered friends make amazing pets.

On remote Codfish Island off the southern coast of New Zealand live the last 91 kakapo parrots on earth. These trusting, flightless, and beautiful birds - the largest and most unusual parrots on earth - have suffered devastating population loss. Now, on an island refuge with the last of the species, New Zealand’s National Kakapo Recovery Team is working to restore the kakapo population. With the help of 14 humans who share a single hut and a passion for saving these odd ground-dwelling birds, the kakapo are making a comeback in New Zealand.

From a wry, insightful, and very funny new voice, here is one woman’s search for home, from Kashmir to England to Saudi Arabia to Michigan to Rome and, finally, to Los Angeles—standalone essays that together form a sweeping portrait of a peripatetic life. "I would follow Priyanka Mattoo to...

Take to the skies with songbirds and raptors, and waddle with some flightless birds, too! Organized by animal-science reference topics such as anatomy, migration, and life cycle, Birds introduces young listeners to these feathered animals.

Peck the ground. Lay some eggs. Chickens are at home on the farm.

The North American continent is home to animals of all sizes and appetites. There are gray squirrels hoarding acorns, blacks bears searching for berries, and American bison grazing on protected plains. Meet your wild neighbors in this series for young listeners! This volume includes Pronghorn, Red-tailed Hawks, and Red Foxes.

What was that sound coming from the trees? Could it be a robin, a blue jay, or even a woodpecker? Listeners will sharpen their observation skills and learn how to attract and tell the difference between many types of birds.

Why do mandrills have blue faces? What makes a parrot's feathers so bright? Learn these answers and more about some of nature’s most colorful creatures in Science Behind the Colors.

Snowy owls make their homes in the icy white lands of the north. In these snowy places, they are perfectly camouflaged. Learn more about this giant owl!

Many people think penguins live only in cold, icy places. But the Galapagos penguins live in the blazing heat of the tropics. While this may seem like paradise, the Galapagos penguins are always on the lookout for ways to stay cool and comfortable. Learn more about these adorable animals, including how they got to the tropics, what they eat, other challenges they face in their lives, and what you can do to help.

Big, stately great horned owls with their hooting call and big orange eyes are the owls of scary stories. Learn more about these tufted hunters.