A renowned engineer reveals the marvel of how birds work-from the tips of their beaks to the sheen of their tailfeathers.
A renowned engineer and lifelong birder reveals the marvel of how birds work-from the tips of their beaks to the sheen of their tailfeathers.
With over 150 full-color illustrations, a unique gift book for everyone from the avid birder to the bird beginner.
Consider feathers- They define birds' wings, enabling flight. They insulate against cold. They repel water. They even control sound. And how feathers work is just one aspect of the wonders of birds explained by pathbreaking researcher and birder Lorna Gibson in Birds Up Close.
Feathers, bones, bills, eggs, flight- all come in for scrutiny in this engaging book. What produces the iridescence of plumage? How does the internal structure of a bird's bones make them lightweight? How do different birds use their bills and tongues-from woodpeckers penetrating the holes they drill to hummingbirds imbibing nectar, to sandpipers needling the sand, and to phalaropes drawing water droplets containing plankton into their mouths without sucking (no lips!)?
Drawing on her expertise and personal experience in both engineering and ornithology, the author explores the hidden microscopic structures and engineering principles that keep birds aloft and alive-how an egg is formed, how a bird generates lift; how raptors soar and glide, albatrosses fly thousands of miles, hummingbirds hover, puffins and penguins ""fly"" underwater. She also considers the longer view of birds in their habitats and natural history. Her up-close look at avian mysteries provides a perspective like no other for the expert ornithologist and curious observer alike.
By:
Lorna Gibson
Imprint: MIT Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 203mm,
Weight: 567g
ISBN: 9780262049894
ISBN 10: 0262049899
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 05 May 2026
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Contents Preface Chapter 1 Fantastic Feathers: Color and Sound Contour feather structure Feather color Pigments Structural color Feathers for sound Creating sound Suppressing sound Collecting sound References Chapter 2 Fantastic Feathers: Warm and Dry Water repellency Thermal insulation References Chapter 3 Bones: Light for Flight Bird skeletons Sandwich structures Cylindrical long bones References Chapter 4 Bills Woodpeckers: Bills for pecking Hummingbirds: Tongues for collecting nectar Calidris sandpipers: Bills for sensing prey Phalaropes: Bills for capturing plankton References Chapter 5 Eggs Ovum to egg Color Size and shape of eggs Strength of eggshells References Chapter 6 Flight: Weight, Upward Force and Lift Weight Upward force Lift References Chapter 7 Flight: Drag and Thrust Drag Soaring and gliding Thrust: Flapping flight Specialized types of flight Hovering Swimming with wings Murmurations of starlings References Epilogue: Sanctuary and Solace Acknowledgments
Lorna J. Gibson is the Matoula S. Salapatas Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and a MacVicar Faculty Fellow at MIT. Her research interests have focused on the mechanics of materials with a cellular structure such as engineering honeycombs and foams, natural materials such as wood, leaves and bamboo, as well as medical materials for regenerating damaged tissues. A lifelong birder, Gibson is a member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Audubon Society.
