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Reviews
From tangerine-scented auklets to mossy-smelling juncos, birds are more fragrant than you might think.
Whittaker blends science writing and memoir to explore how birds make use of odors in her delightful debut. Whittaker's a natural explainer, and her willingness to poke fun at herself only enhances her fascinating account. Fans of Jon Dunn and Jonathan Meiburg will be charmed.
A delightfully meandering account...Whittaker presents a new lens for bird lovers to view common species, and she had me wondering what some of my favorite birds smell like... The book's greatest success is how it depicts the reality of doing science...It takes a diverse group of perspectives—and the humility to reconsider our biases—to truly understand our world.
Whittaker's wide-ranging book combines memoir, intellectual history, and the results of her own scientific research on avian chemical communication, which challenges the long-held belief in ornithology that birds don't have a sense of smell. Whittaker also discusses her unorthodox academic career and her personal life (including her roller derby alter ego 'Chunk Rock Girl'), adding zest to the science.
Beautifully written.
Full of vivid descriptions of fieldwork adventures, fun facts about bird scents, detailed scientific explanations that always stay very readable....A charming and readable background to a little-studied area of ornithology.
Whittaker convincingly busts the myth of avian anosmia....[The Secret Perfume of Birds]rewards the reader with fascinating insights into the fields of animal behaviour and chemical communication.
This book delves into a topic that holds surprises and curiosity, even for experienced ornithologists....A wonderful story about the lesser-known facets of birds, as well as a researcher's life.
Covering a topic even expert birders would find intriguing, The Secret Perfume of Birds explores new territory related to neuroscience in an accessible yet scholarly way. Whittaker's writing style will be compelling to anyone who enjoys learning more about natural history. This delightful book will make a great addition to current popular nonfiction literature.
This fun and fascinating book dispels the myth that birds can't smell, a topic largely overlooked since the time of Audubon. Whittaker uses her own unusual backstory to lead us through many interwoven layers that comprise the field (and lab) experience of bird olfaction, mate choice, and social behavior. She cleverly introduces us to bird scent at multiple levels of biological complexity (microbes to immune function to behavior) and provides comparisons across taxa, including humans. The Secret Perfume of Birds enables readers, for the first time, to master an understanding of how scents feature in the lives of birds while sharing with us the 'wow factor' that scientists experience when they discover how nature actually works!
Full of fascinating fact-filled diversions as well as eye-opening anecdotes about the scientific life, this book changed the way I see (and smell) birds. Read it and you'll uncover new behaviors, perspectives, and possibilities.
Whittaker's book weaves a captivating personal story about how science (really) works and why birds, previously considered the 'underdogs' of olfaction, actually have a much better sense of smell than we previously thought. She brings humor, verve, and curiosity to her discussions of bird biology, until the science itself comes to life.
About
Book Details
Publication Date
Status
Available
Trim Size
6
x 9
Pages
296
ISBN
9781421443478
Illustration Description
11 b&w photos, 14 b&w illus.
Subject
Table of Contents
Preface. Follow Your Nose
Chapter 1. The Most Ancient and Fundamental Sense
Chapter 2. Following the Bird's Nose
Chapter 3. Deciphering the Secrets of Smells
Chapter 4. What Does Sexy Smell Like?
Chapter 5
Preface. Follow Your Nose
Chapter 1. The Most Ancient and Fundamental Sense
Chapter 2. Following the Bird's Nose
Chapter 3. Deciphering the Secrets of Smells
Chapter 4. What Does Sexy Smell Like?
Chapter 5. Making Scents of Bacteria
Chapter 6. Thanks for Sharing
Chapter 7. MHC: Magical Happiness Controller?
Chapter 8. Girl Power
Afterword. A Breath of Fresh Air
Acknowledgments
Glossary
References
Index
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