What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds

STEVE DONOGHUE, OPEN LETTERS REVIEW

"The many, many fans of Jennifer Ackerman's 2016 bestseller The Genius of Birds were likely bird-people, if not actual birders then certainly bird-curious, and those readers might have dreamed that this author would some day turn her attention specifically to one of the most charismatic of all birds, the owl. Those readers, and all the many thousands of others who've always been fascinated by these birds, will rejoice at the appearance of Ackerman's new book ... on this 'did you know' level, Ackerman's book is predictable, although every bit as glowingly readable as everything else she's written ... Owls endlessly fascinate humans; owls can befriend humans; owls certainly need the conservation help of humans. They can look us straight in the eyes, and they very much warrant a book as thoughtful and engrossing as this one, another great bird-book from Ackerman."