Publisher's Synopsis
‘Once again, Jennifer Ackerman has written a fascinating, fact-filled and wonderfully readable work of popular science - this time on one of the most mysterious and charismatic of all bird families: the owls.’ -- Stephen Moss, author and naturalist
‘And if anyone knows anything about anything…it's Owl who knows something about something.’ Winnie-the-Pooh, A. A. Milne
From prehistoric cave paintings to the prints and etchings of Picasso, owls have captivated and inspired us for millennia. Whether they appear as ancient Athenian symbols of wisdom, ghostly harbingers of death, or the cuddly sidekicks of Harry Potter and Winnie the Pooh, these birds have continued to fascinate and disturb us in equal measure.
Through revelatory new behavioural research, Jennifer Ackerman provides an intimate glimpse into these magnificent creatures’ lives. From the evolutionary quirks behind their silent flight and rotating heads, to their romantic relationships and parenting styles, What an Owl Knows brings the rich natural history of owls to life. Deftly weaving together science and art, Ackerman journeys into the owl’s moonlit world and asks: what is it about these birds that so enthrals us?
'Immensely enjoyable... What an Owl Knows eloquently bridges the gap between science and popular assumption to brings us the surprising (and often endearing) facts about these legendarily mysterious birds. Forget what you know, or think you know, because the truth is stranger than fiction!' -- James Aldred, author of Goshawk Summer
‘An absorbing ear-tuft-to-tail appreciation of the raptor that Mary Oliver, a poet, called a “god of plunge and blood”.’ -- Economist
