Description
Jennifer Ackerman | paperback | 331 pages | 2023
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Genius of Birds and The Bird Way, a brilliant scientific exploration of owls, the most elusive group of birds, and an investigation into why these remarkable and yet mysterious animals exert such a hold on human imagination.
For centuries, owls have captivated and intrigued us. Our fascination with these mysterious birds was first documented over 30,000 years ago, and to this day we see them as symbols of wisdom and knowledge, foresight and intuition. But what, really, does an owl know?
Joining scientists on this maddening and elusive treasure hunt, Jennifer Ackerman brings alive the rich biological history of these animals and reveals the remarkable scientific discoveries into their brains and behaviour. She explores how, with modern technology and tools, researchers now know that owls talk all night long – without opening their bills. That their hoots follow a series of complex rules, allowing them to express needs and desires. That owls duet. They migrate. They use tools. They hoard their prey. Some live in underground burrows, some dine on scorpions. An extraordinary glimpse into the mind of these brilliant animals, What an Owl Knows pulls back the curtain on the the hidden and still undiscovered realities of our shared world.
‘A revelatory glimpse into the lives of the “enigmatic” raptors. Bird lovers will be enthralled.’ – Publishers Weekly, starred review
