Birdsong by the Seasons Book and disk - 2009

"No one listens to birdsong as intently - or makes so enthusiastic and knowledgeable a guide to this fascinating realm of avian behavior - as Don Kroodsma. In Birdsong by the Seasons, Don explores the dawn chorus of tanagers, the autumnal drumming of grouse, and many more vocalizations, revealing the previously unrecognized complexity of bird communication. And with the book's accompanying CDs, you can listen along to the chatter of tropical wrens, the bugling of cranes, and the sweet flutings of thrushes. You will never listen to a singing bird the same way." - Scott Weidensaul, author of Living on the Wind and Of a Feather

"With the training of a scientist and the soul of a poet, Don Kroodsma can show us both the technical and the magical aspects of birdsong, marveling at it even as he explains it. Birdsong by the Seasons is, like the phenomenon it describes, both an education and a sheer delight." - Kenn Kaufman, author of The Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America

"Seeking out birds from southern swamps and pine woods to prairie grasslands and eastern forests (punctuated by a revealing jaunt to the tropics), Don Kroodsma listens with sharp and sensitive ears, gathers sound recordings with captivating stories in mind, analyzes and synthesizes with the uncompromising precision of a well-trained scientist, and then writes with a poet's flair . . . what an extraordinary combination of talents! Without hesitation, I recommend Birdsong by the Seasons to all who embrace the amazing sounds of nature." - Lang Elliott, author of The Frogs and Toads of North America

"This book is a real gem - a rare, honest, insightful treasure-trove of firsthand experiences with natural symphonies and musical solos of the bird world. A world-class scientist puts us inside his blind - and even inside his curious mind - for dozens of intimate moments, appreciating and interpreting the sounds of nature throughout the year." - John W. Fitzpatrick, Louis Agassiz Fuertes Director, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology

"Kroodsma's book, full of infectious enthusiasm for his subject, reminds us that eco-tourism and its rewards are as near as our own backyards, where, if we listen attentively, we can begin unlocking the marvelous mysteries of birdsong." - Ned Brinkley, author of the National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Birds of North America