17. Canary in a Coal Mine

17. Canary in a Coal Mine

There are 3 billion fewer birds in North America than a half century ago. Worldwide, almost 50% of bird species are in decline. The ones who remain are still trying to warn us of impending danger—we would be wise to listen before it’s too late, as these three authors detail in their new books that explore the beauty of these creatures; the impacts of climate change on different bird species; and what they can teach us about our own future on earth. In Where the Earth Meets the Sky, conservation scientist Louise K. Blight chronicles her research on penguins surviving in the farthest reaches of Antarctica. Briony Penn’s The Seabird Trials traces a landmark oil spill court battle that resulted in the first settlement in North American history to compensate for the destruction of wild animals. Jackie Morris introduces a compendium of winged companions in The Book of Birds: an illustrated love