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A review by manorclassics
The Glitter in the Green: In Search of Hummingbirds by Jon Dunn
adventurous
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
4.0
“The periodic appearance of a dragonfly in the garden airspace brought sharp perspective— considerably larger than the Bee Hummingbirds, its appearance caused alarm amongst them and, in a chorus of shrill squeaks, the tiny birds fled for cover.”
This brilliant book is both a celebration of hummingbirds and the author’s personal quest to see as many species as possible, beginning in Alaska, working south through central and southern America, and finishing up at the southernmost tip of Argentina. He does this over several trips and, rather than doing a “big year” style dash, he takes the time to go in search of endemic and rare species as well as looking for hummingbirds in their northernmost and southernmost ranges.
Each chapter focuses on a different place and includes a potted history of a rare or hard-to-find species, as well as stories about hummingbird collectors, other hummingbird enthusiasts, and hummingbirds in culture. We also hear about the author's own activities, his encounters with the hummingbirds and other wildlife, and often a humorous anecdote or two, usually at his own expense. His enthusiasm shines through at all times as he lovingly describes each bird, and he has some really heart-warming experiences with them. He does, understandably, value rarity, but his main focus is on the beauty of the birds and their amazing characteristics.
This was a really enjoyable and informative read, and made me wish hummingbirds were in my country! The writing style is very approachable and although it will especially appeal to bird lovers, I think a casual reader would enjoy it too.
I’d like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for kindly providing me with an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
This brilliant book is both a celebration of hummingbirds and the author’s personal quest to see as many species as possible, beginning in Alaska, working south through central and southern America, and finishing up at the southernmost tip of Argentina. He does this over several trips and, rather than doing a “big year” style dash, he takes the time to go in search of endemic and rare species as well as looking for hummingbirds in their northernmost and southernmost ranges.
Each chapter focuses on a different place and includes a potted history of a rare or hard-to-find species, as well as stories about hummingbird collectors, other hummingbird enthusiasts, and hummingbirds in culture. We also hear about the author's own activities, his encounters with the hummingbirds and other wildlife, and often a humorous anecdote or two, usually at his own expense. His enthusiasm shines through at all times as he lovingly describes each bird, and he has some really heart-warming experiences with them. He does, understandably, value rarity, but his main focus is on the beauty of the birds and their amazing characteristics.
This was a really enjoyable and informative read, and made me wish hummingbirds were in my country! The writing style is very approachable and although it will especially appeal to bird lovers, I think a casual reader would enjoy it too.
I’d like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for kindly providing me with an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.