Flight Paths by Rebecca Heisman

I saw the author speak as a key note speaker at the San Diego Bird Festival right before this book was published, and she is a great speaker, one who should be considered for a variety of different events, because the story of bird migration and resiliency is one that could fit a lot of different professions. I think while it is billed as great for avid birders, in some ways it is more amazing for people who know almost nothing about birds. The modern technology for tracking migratory birds can sound like something out of science fiction—for example, analyzing the hydrogen isotopes of a single feather from a bird can indicate the breeding range of that particular species. Weather data can show their migration patterns on radar, and minuscule devices can be implanted under feathers, using the movement of the sun to determine their location. Earlier techniques, on the other hand, bordered on the mystical: moon-watching parties, for example, where ornithologists would spend hours with a telescope, waiting for a bird to fly across the full moon. The author creates a skillful and accessible narrative about how we research and understand bird migration, from the first birds ever to be banded to current methodologies. As the author shows, community science, where people who track birds as a hobby contribute essential data, is more important than ever in the current era of dramatic climate change. I hope this gets more people than ever downloading eBird and adding to the body of living knowledge about birds!