Crow Planet
Essential Wisdom from the Urban Wilderness
-
-
3.8 • 18 Ratings
-
-
- $6.99
-
- $6.99
Publisher Description
There are more crows now than ever. Their abundance is both an indicator of ecological imbalance and a generous opportunity to connect with the animal world. Crow Planet reminds us that we do not need to head to faraway places to encounter "nature." Rather, even in the suburbs and cities where we live we are surrounded by wild life such as crows, and through observing them we can enhance our appreciation of the world's natural order.
Crow Planet richly weaves Haupt's own "crow stories" as well as scientific and scholarly research and the history and mythology of crows, culminating in a book that is sure to make readers see the world around them in a very different way.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Haupt, former raptor rehabilitator and seabird researcher, embarks on an urban ornithological expedition to defend the honor of the crow, the ubiquitous bird whose corvid family precedes Homo sapiens by several million years and whose symbolic and actual role as a scavenger and "liaison" between life and death evokes reactions ranging from revulsion to awe. Attracted to the sight of the birds nesting in her backyard, the author follows them as they forage in the moss along neighborhood streets and cavort in a nearby wildlife preserve. Her forays into Seattle's "tenacious wild" demonstrate evidence of the crow community's social complexity, their extensive vocabulary and fierce loyalty to their mates and species, Haupt enlivens her observations with tidbits from crow mythology and history, discovering that their bad press dates to the 14th-century outbreak of the bubonic plague when the birds scavenged the dead bodies lying in the streets, "beginning, horribly, with the eyeballs." Despite some awkward prose, Haupt succeeds in humanizing the object of her naturalist obsession and affection.
Customer Reviews
Crow Planet
Lyanda Haupt does a wonderful job of making us aware of how embedded we are in wild life (two words). As I write this there is a crow sitting atop my neighbor's roof. It is looking all around, and certainly sees me sitting on my deck, and sees my two dogs sprawled nearby. It is preening its wing feathers, perhaps waiting for a call from other crows to gather for the night, or to drive away an eagle. It is a bird that has a new measure of respect in my mind, thanks to this book. I have a new feeling of kinship with it, as a fellow creature making its way in a world we both inhabit. Of the two of us, I have the ability to realize my impacts on our environment, and this book helps me to see my responsibility to act thoughtfully in the midst of the natural world that surrounds me.
A Book to Cherish
Profound, informative and inspirational. I so enjoyed this beautifully written book about a bird species I have always admired, I look forward to reading more by this author.
Self-indulgence and privilege
That’s what the author continues to write about. Not about nature, but about herself, her issues, her natalist heteronormative middle class life etc. Don’t waste your money thinking that you will gain much insight about crow biology and behavior from this book.