Mención especial a la belleza de ilustraciones de Ryuto Miyake, que me han tenido embelesada toda la lectura. Highly recommend this book for somebody like me who loves nature but doesn't know too much about it outside the mammal kingdom. The only criticism I have of this otherwise magnificent book is how occasionally scattershot the geography feels. In accordance with The Post Office, the last recommended date for Christmas posting is 18th December (2nd Class) and 20th December (First class).

I finished reading this a couple days ago, but I went back to peruse and take notes on interesting facts about the birds which fascinated me. I do wonder how the author narrowed down his choices - some are VERY unique so you can understand why, while others sometimes are a little head scratching.We get a nice overview of what the birds look like, their way of life and brief anecdotes of what they are known for (like them being national emblems and why, if they are featured in important literary works, legends or myths etc). I'd never heard of the oilbird or the purple-crested turaco before but my world is much the richer for having learned about them here. Organized by region: Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas, Southeast Asia, Australia, Antarctica, and Pacific islands. The only thing that would make me enjoy this even more, is if it was a nature television series with Attenborough narrating. However, that Mike Unwin does not bother with avian evolution in Around the World in 80 Birds, that he has no section devoted to extinct birds and is in my opinion often not nearly critical and condemning enough regarding birds threatened and endangered by us humans, by our actions, by habit loss, by over-hunting, pollution and the like, this has definitely rather bothered me (and enough so that my final rating for Around the World in 80 Birds simply cannot be higher than three stars, still to be warmly recommended, but also with some caveats and reservations).

The book follows the formula of the previous two ‘Around the World in 80…’ books and explores a small selection of birds from around the world in the context of their importance, interaction with humans, rarity, or some other factor chosen by the author. Their common prey and predators, and other images and symbols most commonly associated with each bird -- such as the distinctive man-made houses built for purple martins or the green swarm cloud of budgerigars in the wild -- are also portrayed, sometimes in insets, sometimes in two-page spreads. I’d already loved ‘Around the World in 80 Trees’ in this loose series from Laurence King Publishing and was really looking forward to this one, so much I popped into work on my holiday to pick it up as soon as I found.

Maar Een reis om de wereld slaat me met verstomming: wat een kleuren, wat een variatie, hoe indrukwekkend mooi en boeiend. Or did you know that with at least 11000 species they are the most diverse vertebrate class on the planet?

Flits and swoops into birds you may have heard of around the world – quetzals, kiwis, flamingos, oh my! Some are related to mythology, as the little owl is an emblem of Athena, patron goddess of Athens, Greece. Wildlife author Mike Unwin takes a world tour of 80 birds with exquisite illustrations from Tokyo-based Ryuto Miyake. Y es que todas las aves tienen una historia que contar, y unas características propias que los hacen únicos y especiales, siendo además, una gran fuente de inspiración para la ciencia, la literatura, y el arte.It was perfect for a birding beginner with stunning illustrations and it’s written in such a charming and approachable style. Oh and finally, I also think that Around the World in 80 Birds should be including distribution maps for each of the included species, for one, simply for general knowledge, of course, and for two because some of the birds being showcased in Around the World in 80 Birds actually do not only appear in the countries and areas about which Unwin is writing (and it would thus be nice if Around the World in 80 Birds would for example visually show how the northern mockingbird also ranges into Canada and that nightingales are common in much of Europe and not just in France, and well, with migratory birds, showing their wintering grounds as well as where they breed via maps is not just interesting and informative but is also rather important regarding possible conservation issues). From Madagascar and the helmet vanga to the Galapagos Islands and the courtship rituals of the male blue-footed booby (think dad dancing, but with big, blue, webbed feet), Unwin introduces a dazzling array of our feathered friends. I tend to read a lot of fiction but there is an endless amount of material that will seem stranger than fiction if only we expand our horizons and open our minds to factual information. Japanese artist Ryuto Miyake's illustrations are a delight - COUNTRY LIFE You may also be interested in.

This is a wonderful book to add to the collection of anyone interested in either or both birds and avian art. The Resplendent Quatzal is such a beautifully colourful bird linked with a lot of South American mythology and I’ve always been fascinated by it. The author provides not only interesting biology, but also explores how each bird species has interacted with humans, whether in folklore ,mythology or real life …. Desgraciadamente, no somos conscientes de su importancia, y del enorme valor vital que tienen, y ni mucho menos de los peligros a los que están sometidos, y la amenaza que suponemos nosotros para ellos. I think at least 50% of these short bird essays ended by mentioning that the birds are at risk of extinction due to habitat or food loss, global warming, or harmful human intervention.La verdad que cuando te adentras el él, te das cuenta de que es mucho más sofisticado y fascinante de lo que pueda parecer.