Popular Mechanics (South Africa)
Book review:
A World on the Wing details the advancements in bird migration science, looking into how big tech has helped unravel decades-long mysteries of this fascinating behaviour.
A World on the
Wing by Scott Weidensaul.
‘Scott Weidensaul, one of our finest nature writers, has produced another instant classic. Here is proof that a book of solid science can also be a page-turner.’ – Kenn Kaufman, author of the Kaufman Field Guides
EVEN IF you’re not a birder, chances are you’ve looked up at a flock of birds flying in formation, and wondered where they’re headed to, or even how or why they do it. Researcher and author of A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds,
Scott Weidensaul, makes the science behind it all easy to understand, and accessible. Originally intrigued by raptors, Weidensaul’s interest honed in on migration – not just for powerful birds, but also for those that seem so tiny and fragile yet still cross the hemispheres with a speed and tenacity that boggles the mind.
The science and understanding of migration has changed, too. In the beginning of the book, Weidensaul explains that since the 1950s, we’ve known that birds use the Earth’s magnetic field to orientate themselves. ‘Ornithologists long assumed this ability was a sort of biological compass,’ he writes. Yet now we know this has only a little role to play in bird migration. Today’s science says the answer lies in quantum entanglements, which is ‘just as bizarre as it sounds’.
Another interesting discovery is that migrating birds can bulk up their muscles before taking flight without doing any exercise. ‘Because a bird’s muscle tissue is all but identical to a human’s, the trigger must be biochemical, but remains a tantalising mystery,’ says Weidensaul.
From China to northern India, southern Cyprus and even South Africa, this book will take you on an exhilarating world trip. Some of it is quite grim – bird numbers are plummeting and dare we forget climate change – but Weidensaul also shares successful conservation stories, and with his charismatic storytelling, the book never feels bland. It shows how passionate he is (his track record speaks for itself – he’s written more than 30 nature books over the years, one of which was a Pulitzer Prize finalist), and how resilient birds are. Filled with maps, beautiful photographs and meticulously researched science, A World on the Wing is a masterclass in the avian ecology field.