Stap : Birdsong : A Natural History

| 2006 | | Kart, F:13,6x20,4 cm, 272 S. PoD | WG: Buch | | In this creative mixture of reportage, storytelling, and research, Don Stap distills the complexities of the study of birdsong and unveils a remarkable discovery that sheds light on the mystery of mysteries: why young birds in the suborder oscines - the "true songbirds" - learn their songs but closely related birds are born with their songs genetically encodes. As the story unfolds, Stap contemplates our enduring fascination with birdsong, from ancient pictographs and early Greek soothsayers to the story of Mozart's pet starling. He identifies birds by their specific sounds, and calls, and explains the many functions of bird song, from mating calls to claims of territory. In a modern, noisy world, it is increasingly difficult to hear the sounds of nature around us. Exploring birdsong takes us to that rare place - in danger of disappearing forever - where one hears only the planet's oldest music. | [E] | |