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Ten Birds That Changed the World

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For the whole of human history, we have shared our world with birds. We have hunted and domesticated them for food; worshipped them in our religions; placed them at the heart of our myths and legends; poisoned and persecuted them; and celebrated them in our literature, art and music. Even today, despite a very worrying disconnection between ourselves and the rest of nature, birds continue to play a role in our lives. Eagles have always been associated with the strength of nations and empires, through their symbolic use in ancient Greece, Rome and other early civilisations. They also appear on more flags around the world than any other bird. But the Nazis changed both the direction of the eagle – making it face right – and its meaning: turning it into a symbol of totalitarianism. Tree sparrow

Ten Birds That Changed the World by Stephen Moss | Goodreads

Stephen Moss mentions both Poe and the Mad Hatter in “Raven,” the first chapter of “Ten Birds That Changed the World,” but mercifully doesn’t attempt to solve the riddle. A BBC broadcaster and prolific author, Mr. Moss has made a career out of explaining British birds to a wider readership. In this book he traverses a much larger terrain, starting out close to home, with the ravens in the United Kingdom, but ending as far away as he can get, with a visit to the emperor penguins of Antarctica. Legendary ravens that humans can't decide whether to admire or fear. Pigeon war heroes and pooping on statues. Turkeys feeding settlers and giving us food poisoning. Dodos first inspiring the theory of extinction, their lost bones and fraudulent taxidermy. Darwin's (uncited) finches evolving before the Grants' eyes, awesome discussion of how evolutionary ideas 'evolved and radiated'. Guanay cormarant fertilising poop harvested for the benefit of agriculture and sufferance of labourers. Egrets vs Marie Antoinette-esque fashionistas. Bald Eagles as political and ancient symbols of power: the Aztec 'thunderbird', Roman standards, Napoleon, Nazis and Trump. The Not-Great Sparrow Campaign massacre by the Chinese Communist party (then in Oz, Emus 1 Humans 0. Emperor Penguins and the worsening impact of climate change: on the 'stay' side of 'should I stay or should I go' migration behaviour. Why is a raven like a writing-desk?’’ asks the Mad Hatter in Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” during the surreal tea party attended by Alice, the March Hare and the Dormouse. No one is able to guess the answer—perhaps because, as Alice complains, there isn’t one. Nonetheless, generations of readers have proposed their own solutions. The novelist Aldous Huxley, for example, joked that he knew precisely what a raven and a writing desk had in common: “There is a ‘b’ in both and an ‘n’ in neither.” I prefer the less nonsensical but equally funny answer: Because Poe wrote on both.” Moss writes with the scope of a scholar and the confidence of a careful observer, finding fresh and fascinating insights into the lives and legacies of ten iconic birds. A thoughtful, thought-provoking, and thoroughly enjoyable book.”

A certain native glamour helped ravens coast into human mythologies as helpful companions. Photograph: All Canada Photos/Alamy

Ten Birds That Changed the World by Stephen Moss | Hachette Ten Birds That Changed the World by Stephen Moss | Hachette

A] penetrating history…The blend of history and science highlights the deep connections between humans and the natural world, and the cultural insights enlighten….This flies high.” For the whole of human history, we have lived alongside birds. We have hunted and domesticated them for food; venerated them in our mythologies, religion and rituals; exploited them for their natural resources; and been inspired by them for our music, art and poetry.In Ten Birds that Changed the World, naturalist and author Stephen Moss tells the gripping story of this long and eventful relationship through ten key species from all seven of the world’s continents. From Odin’s faithful raven companions to Darwin’s finches, and from the wild turkey of the Americas to the emperor penguin as potent symbol of the climate crisis, this is a fascinating, eye-opening and endlessly engaging work of natural history. Ten Birds That Changed the World by Stephen Moss – eBook Details This look at ten species is the writers' choice, and not all species are still in existence. The dodo is not; while it was eaten, he explains that the rats and pigs introduced by seafarers did away with most of the nests. Surprisingly he does not say that a tree native to Mauritius was dying out in recent years, its seeds refusing to germinate, until a botanist had the bright idea of feeding its seeds to domestic poultry to replace the dodo. The seeds passed through and germinated. Other birds endemic to the island were, fortunately, preserved and revived in numbers. Moss, a British nature writer, broadcaster, and environmentalist who has written more than 40 books and field guides, is an ideal guide to this in-depth look at 10 consequential species and the threats to their continued survival. Spoiler alert: The world-changing birds are the raven, pigeon, wild turkey, dodo, Darwin's finch, guanay cormorant, snowy egret, bald eagle, tree sparrow, and emperor penguin. The contributions of some of these birds are immediately apparent—e.g., carrier pigeons could bring messages from the front lines of battles and wars, changing the course of the conflicts. The historical roles of other birds are more obscure. The snowy egret, prized for its long, feathery aigrettes, was driven to the brink of extinction by the plumage trade, but this led to the first bird protection laws. Moss is good at sorting out the myths from the realities of these birds' places in history. Darwin's finches, for example, were not actually the inspiration for his theory of evolution by natural selection but are still one of the best demonstrations of its veracity. The author also takes note of the prominent places these birds hold in mythology and literature, such as Poe's "The Raven,” but his larger theme is the threat of extinction that hovers over so many species today. As such, the centerpiece of his avian collection is the dodo, which has transitioned from a real bird to “the global icon of extinction." Its disappearance 300 years ago first suggested to the Western mind that a species could go extinct. The author’s thorough and well-argued book brings urgent attention to all the species that now face oblivion due to the global climate crisis. Heidaripour's illustrations complement the engaging, sobering analysis. Taking a numerical approach to the natural world – as in Simon Barnes’s History of the World in 100 Plants, for example – is a handy way to carve off a manageable slice from a potential plethora of examples. There are, for instance, nearly 10,000 bird species worldwide. In his new book, naturalist Stephen Moss wisely chooses just 10, but in doing so tells the story of the long relationship between birds and humanity – and it has mostly been a disastrous one.Moss] is an ideal guide to this in-depth look at 10 consequential species and the threats to their continued survival… The author’s thorough and well-argued book brings urgent attention to all the species that now face oblivion due to the global climate crisis… Take a fascinating flight into human history on the wings of 10 important bird species.” Moss digs deep and answers many questions within chapters that are rich with both natural and historical facts... Ten Birds That Changed the World is an engrossing tribute to our feathered neighbours." This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by For the whole of human history, we have lived alongside birds. We have hunted and domesticated them for food; venerated them in our mythologies, religions, and rituals; exploited them for their natural resources; and been inspired by them for our music, art, and poetry.

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