Stray Feathers From a Bird Man's Desk

A museum curator’s notebook comes to life in this lively collection of bird essays, each born from the “stray feathers” of daily research. The author gathers observations, anecdotes, and curiosities gathered from specimens ranging from Alaskan loons to New Guinean parrots, then reshapes them into short, stand‑alone pieces that feel as playful as they are informative.

Interwoven with witty cartoons, the chapters explore everything from the flamboyant courtship of hornbills to the stubborn migrations of Arctic terns, drawing surprising parallels between avian habits and human behavior. The tone balances scientific insight with a conversational ease, making complex concepts—like feathered courtship rituals or the mechanics of bird song—readable for anyone with a passing interest in nature.

With sixty varied vignettes, the book offers a kale­ndar of the avian world that feels both scholarly and entertaining, inviting listeners to see birds not just as specimens, but as characters in a grand, feathered drama.