A World on the Wing

The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds

By: Scott Weidensaul

Narrated by: Mike Lenz

Length: 13 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

In the past two decades, our understanding of the navigational and physiological feats that enable birds to cross immense oceans, fly above the highest mountains, or remain in unbroken flight for months at a stretch has exploded. What we've learned of these key migrations is nothing short of extraordinary.

Bird migration entails almost unfathomable endurance, like a sparrow-sized sandpiper that will fly nonstop from Canada to Venezuela - the equivalent of running 126 consecutive marathons without food, water, or rest-avoiding dehydration by "drinking" moisture from its own muscles and organs, while orienting itself using the Earth's magnetic field. Crossing the Pacific Ocean in nine days of nonstop flight, as some birds do, leaves little time for sleep, but migrants can put half their brains to sleep for a few seconds at a time, alternating sides - and their reaction time actually improves.

These and other revelations convey both the wonder of bird migration and its global sweep, from the mudflats of the Yellow Sea in China to the remote mountains of northeastern India to the dusty hills of southern Cyprus. This breathtaking work of nature writing also introduces listeners to those scientists, researchers, and bird lovers trying to preserve global migratory patterns in the face of climate change and other environmental challenges.

©2021 Scott Weidensaul (P)2021 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Compelling chock full of fascinating info

loved this book, heard Scott on NPR Fresh Air, great interview! Concerned about birds, migratory habits and climate change.

Excellent Natural History book

l was a little nervous making my purchase because I thought, while I enjoy all kinds of nature writing, l am not a hard core birder and it might be too specialized. I was wrong. I did learn more about ornithology and banding but it was all interesting and excellently written and read. I'm glad to have such a diverse snapshot into migration all across the world.

Fantastic book for any nature enthusiast

So many nature-themed books are re-hashed stories you have heard before if you read this genre. But Scott Weidensaul’s book is powerfully crafted from an un-matched depth of experience. Add that to 30 years of experiences a science and nature writer and you get a treatise on migration, climate change, and the fate of our delicate green and blue world that you can’t put down.

I learned so much from this book, and I devour books on birds and nature - almost none match this for depth. The narration was overall good - 4.5 stars - just some word pronunciations that bothered me

Depressing

Depressing but necessary book. Gives not only a look at migration marvels but the obstacles birds face primarily due to humans

Important and fascinating book. Reader mispronunciations were a little annoying.

A must-read for birders and conservationists and a fascinating read for anyone with an interest in nature. The reader speaks with a clear and animated voice, but the mispronunciations of words, place names, and particularly bird names was unfortunate. Where was the editor?

Outstanding Book!

Scott does an amazing job of communicating recent data through narrative! Having read many bird books I would say this is in my top five!

Awesome book!

This book is fantastic. It is well written and gives a great overview of birds and the research being done to save them. It was entertaining and easy to understand. A wonderful book for anyone interested in wildlife and birds. I only wish Scott would have read it himself as his speaking voice is great!

Incredible Book

It started out slower than I like, but after the first chapter I couldn't stop. Weidensaul is an incredible writer and story teller. His experiences in the splendid, sometimes dangerous, world of birds and nature wet my appetite to get out and see the world. I have a better understanding and appreciation for the conservation measures and costs and look forward to helping in the minute ways I am able. Loved this book and plan on sharing it!

Itrestible

Not being an avid birder, but an outdoorsman for decades, I was blown away by what I didn’t know about bird migrations. Scott lays it down in a fast paced and highly listenable fashion.

Bird Migration Explained

My five star rating for this fascinating book is based on the fact that I am an avid birdwatcher. The information presented is astonishing and informative. I listened to the audio version, but plan to get a hardcover copy so I can see the charts and photos, and reread some sections.