Feathers. We see birds as collections of feathers. The majority of our identification tools are based on the feathers of a bird. We note the feather color, structure, and location of almost every bird we see, almost unconsciously . We even pay considerable attention to which feathers are missing as a result of the molting process. But it is rare that we ponder what is underneath those gorgeous feathers. This is strange as the majority of a bird’s weight is hidden from our view. Do you ever think about the unfeathered bird.
The Unfeathered Bird from Katrina van Grouw is a beautifully illustrated large format book from Princeton University Press that tackles the great task of illustrating a representative selection of the world’s extant bird families. The birds are drawn in unique poses such as a de-feathered Eurasian Buzzard in mid-flight.
This title has received so many wonderful reviews that I feel that my addition is an whole-hearted recommendation. Trust me, if you were to place this title on your coffee table, someone will pick it up and start asking some questions.