Weaving together natural history & investigative reporting with mythological & cultural material On Rare Birds tells the compelling stories of ten rare or extinct bird species
- from the tragic demise of the once-abundant Passenger Pigeon to the shooting death of the last Carolina Parakeet in the wild & from the startling natural defences of the wilful Nightjar A to the diverse cultural significance of the Kingfisher. Some stories bear sad witness to precious species we have lost but they are all fascinating & often heartwarming or humorous depictions of the unique lives & loves of birds. On Rare Birds is a visually stunning volume illustrated by author Anita Albuss own superb artwork & by images ranging over five centuries. It will delight anyone who loves birds laments the depletion of their populations by human hands & cares about the survival of those species that still stand a chance. With knowledge devotion & a true artists eye Albus explains in graceful precise prose why the decline of these bird species is a great loss both to the natural world & unavoidably to culture. With each species lost a world is lost to human understanding-to our arts our mythology & our environment."