by Scott Simon
First published 2024
Scott Simon explores how humans and birds have shaped each other's lives across the Indo-Pacific region. Ancient migrations depended on avian guides to locate food and water sources in unknown lands. Today scientists rely on bird behavior to monitor environmental shifts and track migration patterns. Birds continue serving as natural warning systems for ecological change. Simon documents diverse relationships between people and birds, from rooftop pigeon keepers in Amman to Indigenous ceremonial practices in Taiwan. These connections appear in daily routines, cultural symbols, and traditional crafts throughout the region. Industrial expansion has severed many ties between humans and nature. The book examines how bird-centered traditions offer models for coexistence with other species during the Anthropocene era. Simon argues that protecting non-human life requires understanding these ancient partnerships. Environmental crisis intensifies the need for such knowledge.
Genres: nature, animals, anthropology, environment, non-fiction, birds
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coexistence, human-animal-relationships, traditional-practices
Setting: Amman, Indo-Pacific, Taiwan
Period: Anthropocene
340 pages · Hardcover · University of British Columbia Press