From the lifelong devotion of the American crow to the dalliances of the eastern bluebird, from the bald eagle’s dazzling aerial display to the male ruby-throated hummingbird’s reputation as a “deadbeat dad” — courtship, mating, and parenting differ dramatically among birds. Ornithologist and author Laura Erickson takes readers on a romance-fueled romp through the love lives of 35 species, exploring the diversity of avian approaches to pairing up. Each species spotlight pairs Erickson’s remarkable depth of scientific knowledge with her talent for drawing humorous and insightful parallels between human and bird. The result is a riveting read for bird-watchers and nature lovers alike.
Laura Ericksonis the author ofThe Love Lives of BirdsandThe Bird Watching Answer Book, and is coauthor ofInto the Nest. A recipient of the American Birding Association’s prestigious Roger Tory Peterson award, she has served as science editor at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, an editor ofBird Scopemagazine, and a columnist and contributing editor forBirdwatchingmagazine. She produces For the Birds, a long-running public radio program and podcast, and lives in Duluth, Minnesota.
Introduction: Looking for Mr. or Ms. Right
Sex in the City: Rock Pigeon
Speed Dating: Prairie Grouse
Living in Jane Austen's World: Black-Capped Chickadee
Bully for Them: Wild Turkey
Be My Valentine: Great Horned Owl
Tender Romantics: American Crow
Just the Two of Us: Trumpeter Swan
Going Steady: Mallard
Romantic Duets: Northern Cardinal
Old-Fashioned Love Songs: American Robin
Othello Didn't Have to End That Way: Northern Mockingbird
Singing Casanova: House Wren
Happy Feet: Blue-Footed Booby
Dancing with the Stars: Whooping Crane
Cyrano de Bergerac: American Woodcock
Love on the Beach: Piping Plover
Passion in Fresh Water: ClS.
![The Love Lives of Birds: Courting and Mating Rituals [Hardcover]](/itemImage/2/2/5/3/2_4431856.jpg "The Love Lives of Birds: Courting and Mating Rituals [Hardcover]")