A World on the Wing

The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds

By: Scott Weidensaul

Narrated by: Mike Lenz

In the past two decades, our understanding of the navigational and physiological feats that enable birds to cross immense oceans, fly above the highest mountains, or remain in unbroken flight for months at a stretch has exploded. What we've learned of these key migrations is nothing short of extraordinary.

Bird migration entails almost unfathomable endurance, like a sparrow-sized sandpiper that will fly nonstop from Canada to Venezuela - the equivalent of running 126 consecutive marathons without food, water, or rest-avoiding dehydration by "drinking" moisture from its own muscles and organs, while orienting itself using the Earth's magnetic field. Crossing the Pacific Ocean in nine days of nonstop flight, as some birds do, leaves little time for sleep, but migrants can put half their brains to sleep for a few seconds at a time, alternating sides - and their reaction time actually improves.

These and other revelations convey both the wonder of bird migration and its global sweep, from the mudflats of the Yellow Sea in China to the remote mountains of northeastern India to the dusty hills of southern Cyprus. This breathtaking work of nature writing also introduces listeners to those scientists, researchers, and bird lovers trying to preserve global migratory patterns in the face of climate change and other environmental challenges.

©2021 Scott Weidensaul (P)2021 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Migratory Bird Obsession

Absolutely fascinating discussion of new human knowledge about migratory bird physiology and behavior. But perhaps more astonishing is the author’s obsession with capturing, tagging, tracking, and understanding those birds around the globe. Modern sensor miniaturization allows us to know more about where these birds migrate and how their physiology allows them to accomplish such frankly unfathomable distances and altitudes. The author tends to over-write. Purple prose abounds. But when he sticks to the facts he does a good job of helping us through difficult technological and biological terrain. It does end up being repetitive and falls short of helping us understand that although these delicate creatures face many man-made and natural threats, they also express fantastic adaptability and resilience. The narration here is not helpful, as it is repetitive in its choppy cadence and must be sped up. Recommended if you’re a nature lover but probably a book better read than listened to.

Excellent Natural History book

l was a little nervous making my purchase because I thought, while I enjoy all kinds of nature writing, l am not a hard core birder and it might be too specialized. I was wrong. I did learn more about ornithology and banding but it was all interesting and excellently written and read. I'm glad to have such a diverse snapshot into migration all across the world.

Compelling chock full of fascinating info

loved this book, heard Scott on NPR Fresh Air, great interview! Concerned about birds, migratory habits and climate change.

Fantastic book for any nature enthusiast

So many nature-themed books are re-hashed stories you have heard before if you read this genre. But Scott Weidensaul’s book is powerfully crafted from an un-matched depth of experience. Add that to 30 years of experiences a science and nature writer and you get a treatise on migration, climate change, and the fate of our delicate green and blue world that you can’t put down.

I learned so much from this book, and I devour books on birds and nature - almost none match this for depth. The narration was overall good - 4.5 stars - just some word pronunciations that bothered me

Really moving stories from around the world

Bird are truly amazing and this book is inspiring to want to do more to protect them.