Bald Coot and Screaming Loon

Book excerpt: From the author of The Curious Gardener's Almanac, a fascinating miscellany that explores the mysterious world of birds. Comprising more than 1,000 entries of remarkable information about birds, bird life, and bird-watching, Bald Coot and Screaming Loon reveals the intriguing evolution and behavior patterns of these avian creatures. Woven into this wealth of knowledge are quotations, anecdotes, traditional sayings, lines of verse, practical advice for attracting and spotting birds, and words of rural wisdom, covering such topics as: ?How birds came to be ?Courtship and breeding ?Why birds sing and call ?Avian anatomy ?Birds and man ?How and why birds fly ?The mystery of migration ?Bird Brains: Instinct or intelligence? ?How birds cope in a damaged world