Latin for Bird Lovers: Over 3,000 bird names explored and explained - Hardcover

"Scientific names, those sometimes cumbersome binomial identifiers, can be more entertaining than we may imagine--a point driven home by Latin for Bird Lovers." --The Wall Street Journal "Lederer and Burr enliven things with more than 250 colorful and detailed images, genus profiles, stories about famous birders and short hits on topics such as beaks, feathers, bird songs and calls, and migration. It makes for a reference work with entertainment value." --Chicago Tribune "This beautifully illustrated dictionary of 3,000 bird names trots out enlightening trivia." --The Week "Sheds light on some of the world's most colorful and interesting birds." --BirdWatching "Gorgeous illustrations fill the pages, making this Latin-heavy guide flutter to life with every brush stroke. All I can say is, checking out this book will be a real feather in your cap." --The Columbian "A beautiful book. The illustrations are exquisite and the colors are very vivid. . . . This would be a wonderful reference book for the bird lover to have on hand." --Happy Little Bookworm "An entertaining book, suitable for leisurely reading or as a present." --Tringa

You can learn a lot about a bird from its scientific name. The descriptive terms that make up these names can identify species by color, size, or distribution, and may illuminate a hidden history or quality.

Latin for Bird Lovers uncovers the secrets behind more than 3,000 scientific names. It also delves into bird behavior -and reveals the fascinating discoveries of ornithologists: one debunked the myth that robins sing because they are happy, while another found that birdsong is regionally distinctive.