What People are Saying About This
Laurie Spry
Covering a topic even expert birders would find intriguing, The Secret Perfume of Birds explores new territory related to neuroscience in an accessible yet scholarly way. Whittaker's writing style will be compelling to anyone who enjoys learning more about natural history. This delightful book will make a great addition to current popular nonfiction literature.
A. S. Barwich
Whittaker's book weaves a captivating personal story about how science (really) works and why birds, previously considered the 'underdogs' of olfaction, actually have a much better sense of smell than we previously thought. She brings humor, verve, and curiosity to her discussions of bird biology, until the science itself comes to life.
Ann-Sophie Barwich
"Whittaker's book weaves a captivating personal story about how science (really) works and why birds, previously considered the "underdogs" of olfaction, actually have a much better sense of smell than we previously thought. She brings humor, verve, and curiosity to her discussions of bird biology, until the science itself comes to life."
Rosemary Mosco
Full of fascinating fact-filled diversions as well as eye-opening anecdotes about the scientific life, this book changed the way I see (and smell) birds. Read it and you'll uncover new behaviors, perspectives, and possibilities.
Julie C. Hagelin
This fun and fascinating book dispels the myth that birds can't smell, a topic largely overlooked since the time of Audubon. Whittaker uses her own unusual backstory to lead us through many interwoven layers that comprise the field (and lab) experience of bird olfaction, mate choice, and social behavior. She cleverly introduces us to bird scent at multiple levels of biological complexity (microbes to immune function to behavior) and provides comparisons across taxa, including humans. The Secret Perfume of Birds enables readers, for the first time, to master an understanding of how scents feature in the lives of birds while sharing with us the 'wow factor' that scientists experience when they discover how nature actually works!
From the Publisher
Covering a topic even expert birders would find intriguing, The Secret Perfume of Birds explores new territory related to neuroscience in an accessible yet scholarly way. Whittaker's writing style will be compelling to anyone who enjoys learning more about natural history. This delightful book will make a great addition to current popular nonfiction literature.
—Laurie Spry, New England naturalist, birder, and educator
This fun and fascinating book dispels the myth that birds can't smell, a topic largely overlooked since the time of Audubon. Whittaker uses her own unusual backstory to lead us through many interwoven layers that comprise the field (and lab) experience of bird olfaction, mate choice, and social behavior. She cleverly introduces us to bird scent at multiple levels of biological complexity (microbes to immune function to behavior) and provides comparisons across taxa, including humans. The Secret Perfume of Birds enables readers, for the first time, to master an understanding of how scents feature in the lives of birds while sharing with us the 'wow factor' that scientists experience when they discover how nature actually works!
—Julie C. Hagelin, University of Alaska
Full of fascinating fact-filled diversions as well as eye-opening anecdotes about the scientific life, this book changed the way I see (and smell) birds. Read it and you'll uncover new behaviors, perspectives, and possibilities.
—Rosemary Mosco, science writer / creator of the comic strip Bird and Moon
Whittaker's book weaves a captivating personal story about how science (really) works and why birds, previously considered the 'underdogs' of olfaction, actually have a much better sense of smell than we previously thought. She brings humor, verve, and curiosity to her discussions of bird biology, until the science itself comes to life.
—A. S. Barwich, author of Smellosophy: What the Nose Tells the Mind
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