Bird Day: A Story of 24 Hours and 24 Avian Lives

In this book, ornithologist Mark E. Hauber and artist Tony Angell depict twenty-four birds across the globe, showcasing their daily activities from morning to night and from the Antarctic to the equator. Each chapter follows a single bird during a single hour, highlighting different bird species and their unique behaviors. The illustrations by Angell capture the beauty and drama of the birds' lives.

Format: Hardback
Length: 168 pages
Publication date: 05 December 2023
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

Birds have busy days, from morning to night and from the Antarctic to the equator. In this short book, ornithologist Mark E. Hauber shows readers exactly how birds spend their time. Each chapter covers a single bird during a single hour, highlighting twenty-four different bird species from around the globe, from the tropics through the temperate zones to the polar regions. We encounter owls and nightjars hunting at night, kiwis and petrels finding their way in the dark. As the sun rises, we witness the beautiful songs of the "dawn chorus." At eleven o'clock in the morning, we float alongside a common pochard, a duck resting with one eye open to avoid predators. At eight that evening, we spot a hawk swallowing bats whole, gorging on up to fifteen in rapid succession before retreating into the darkness.

For each chapter, award-winning artist Tony Angell has depicted these scenes with his signature pen and ink illustrations, which grow increasingly light and then dark as our bird day passes. Working closely together to narrate and illustrate these unique moments in time, Hauber and Angell have created an engaging read that is a perfect way to spend an hour or two—and a true gift for readers, amateur scientists, and birdwatchers.

Weight: 248g
Dimension: 126 x 160 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226819402