What an Owl Knows

Starred review from April 10, 2023
In this masterful survey, nature writer Ackerman (The Bird Way) explores the physiology and behavior of owls. She provides an overview of owls’ intelligence, evolution, mating strategies, nest-building abilities, and communication skills, relating how variations in owl calls allow the birds to express “their needs and desires” and convey “highly specific information about their individual identity, and their sex, size, weight, and state of mind.” Describing academic studies that illuminate the surprising social complexity of the nocturnal predators, Ackerman writes that nestling barn owls will altruistically share food with weaker siblings, and that screech owls sometimes engage in cannibalism, killing and eating fellow fledglings. The author highlights the heterogeneity of owl species, noting that they’re found on every continent but Antarctica and that while the Eurasian eagle owl is big enough to prey on baby deer, the tiny elf owl is only “about the size of a small pine cone.” There’s fascinating trivia on every page (owls perform “sophisticated mathematical computations” to pinpoint prey by sound, and some owl attacks on humans may be attempts to play), making for a revelatory glimpse into the lives of the “enigmatic” raptors. Bird lovers will be enthralled. Photos.

Starred review from April 15, 2023
The award-winning science writer dives into the mysterious world of owls. Following The Genius of Birds and The Bird Way, Ackerman turns her attention to owls, which continue to captivate and inspire us--even though there is much we have yet to learn about these majestic creatures. Owls, she writes, are "powerful symbols" in many cultures, frequently depicted in literature and art. "Owls are hard to study in the wild for some of the same reasons we love them," writes the author. "They're quiet, wary, secretive, and often elusive." Ackerman shares recent discoveries by researchers using new tools and technologies as well as her personal observations from the field. For example, scientists once thought owls did not scavenge, but "camera traps have caught owls helping themselves vulturelike to carrion of all kinds." While owls are aggressive defenders of their young, the extent to which they protect their nests is impressive. Researchers have observed great horned owls throwing themselves to the ground, feigning an injury known as a "broken wing display" in order to distract would-be predators. In studying owl communication, scientists have found that some "owlets begin vocalizing in the egg, even before they hatch." Given that owls are primarily nocturnal, observing their migratory patterns has also proved challenging. However, high-tech tracking devices have allowed us to follow the owls for vast distances, yielding surprising insights. "Perhaps strangest of all," writes Ackerman, "some Snowy Owls actually move north in the winter." Ackerman also discusses the dangers owls are facing due to natural disasters and human activity, including wildfires, logging, and the widespread use of rodenticides. This book, like Ackerman's others, is well written and researched, and the author offers sound advice from experts regarding what individuals can do to help save owls. Fascinating food for thought for owl seekers and sure to please any lover of immersive treks into the lives of birds.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from May 1, 2023
Always eloquent and engaging, science writer Ackerman (The Bird Way, 2020) turns her attention to owls, those mysterious, nocturnal birds that everyone can recognize but few really know. Due to their cryptic plumage and nighttime habits, owls can be difficult to study, but new technologies and approaches have allowed researchers to discover their intimate lives. In this captivating survey of what makes an owl an owl and how different species ""owl"" in disparate ways, Ackerman delves into the biology and natural history of owls around the globe. She joins field scientists as they study owl adaptations; learn the vocabulary of hooting, chittering, and other owl vocalizations; observe courtship and chick rearing; and determine why some owls migrate, some stay put, and some join together in enormous roosts. One fascinating chapter delves into how much we've learned from captive, mostly rehabilitated, birds, while another answers the question of whether owls are truly wise. Ackerman's latest vivid and compelling narrative is enlivened by her own passion for owls and her excitement over discoveries in the wild that show that, for humans, owls continue to be full of surprises.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.