Synopses & Reviews
In 1983, Mike OConnor opened the Bird Watchers General Store on Cape Cod, which might well have been the first store devoted solely to birding in the United States. Since that time he has answered thousands of questions about birds, both at his store and while walking down the aisles of the supermarket. The questions have ranged from inquiries about individual species (Are flamingos really real?”) to what and when to feed birds (Should I bring in my feeders for the summer?”) to the down-and-dirty specifics of backyard birding (Why are the birds dropping poop in my pool?”). Answering the questions has been easy; keeping a straight face has been hard. Finally, it occurred to OConnor that if he answered these questions in print, he might be able to buy groceries in peace.
Why Dont Woodpeckers Get Headaches? is the solution for the beginning birder who already has a book that explains the slight variation between Common Ground-Doves and Ruddy Ground-Doves but who is really much more interested in why birds sing at 4:30 A.M. instead of 7:00 A.M., or whether its okay to feed bread to birds, or how birds rediscover your feeders so quickly when youve just filled them after a long vacation. Or, for that matter, whether flamingos are really real.
Mike OConnor knows birdsI mean, REALLY knows them. He has been answering questions about birds for years, and he can deliver the straight scoop with a hilarious twist that makes it unforgettable. Reading this book is almost as fun as bird watching, and thats saying a lot!” Kenn Kaufman, author of the Kaufman Field Guide to the Birds of North America
OConnors book delightfully answers almost any question one could ask about birds. I am impelled to declare that the Chesworth pen and ink drawings add a sprinkling of salt to OConnors bird tales. This is a fun book to read, whether nibbled at a bit at a time, or in one large clump.” New Hampshire Union Leader
This is quite possibly the funniest bird book ever written. OConnor has broken the mold of straight-laced bird books.” WildBird
Mike OConnor is the owner of the Bird Watchers General Store on Cape Cod. His column, Ask the Bird Folks, appears in The Cape Codder, and his writing has been included in The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2004. He lives in Orleans, Massachusetts.
Review
The avian equivalent in tone and expertise to NPR's Car Talk Magliozzi brothers, O'Connor should net a wider audience with this amusing collection.” Publishers Weekly
while OConnors detailed responses are full of ornithological facts, its their humor and irreverence that make the book so entertaining.” Audubon
Synopsis
In 1983, Mike O' Connor opened the Bird Watcher' s General Store on Cape Cod, which might well have been the first store devoted solely to birding in the United States. Since that time he has answered thousands of questions about birds, both at his store and while walking down the aisles of the supermarket. The questions have ranged from inquiries about individual species (" Are flamingos really real?" ) to what and when to feed birds (" Should I bring in my feeders for the summer?" ) to the down-and-dirty specifics of backyard birding (" Why are the birds dropping poop in my pool?" ). Answering the questions has been easy; keeping a straight face has been hard. Finally, it occurred to O' Connor that if he answered these questions in print, he might be able to buy groceries in peace.
Why Don' t Woodpeckers Get Headaches? is the solution for the beginning birder who already has a book that explains the slight variation between Common Ground-Doves and Ruddy Ground-Doves but who is really much more interested in why birds sing at 4:30 A.M. instead of 7:00 A.M., or whether it' s okay to feed bread to birds, or how birds rediscover your feeders so quickly when you' ve just filled them after a long vacation. Or, for that matter, whether flamingos are really real.
Synopsis
'In 1983, Mike O'Connor opened the Bird Watcher's General Store on Cape Cod, which might well have been the first store devoted solely to birding in the United States. Since that time he has answered thousands of questions about birds, both at his store and while walking down the aisles of the supermarket. The questions have ranged from inquiries about individual species ("Are flamingos really real?") to what and when to feed birds ("Should I bring in my feeders for the summer?") to the down-and-dirty specifics of backyard birding ("Why are the birds dropping poop in my pool?"). Answering the questions has been easy; keeping a straight face has been hard. Finally, it occurred to O'Connor that if he answered these questions in print, he might be able to buy groceries in peace.
Why Don't Woodpeckers Get Headaches? is the solution for the beginning birder who already has a book that explains the slight variation between Common Ground-Doves and Ruddy Ground-Doves but who is really much more interested in why birds sing at 4:30 A.M. instead of 7:00 A.M., or whether it's okay to feed bread to birds, or how birds rediscover your feeders so quickly when you've just filled them after a long vacation. Or, for that matter, whether flamingos are really real.
"Mike O'Connor knows birds—I mean, REALLY knows them. He has been answering questions about birds for years, and he can deliver the straight scoop with a hilarious twist that makes it unforgettable. Reading this book is almost as fun as bird watching, and that's saying a lot!"
—Kenn Kaufman, author of the Kaufman Field Guide to the Birds of North America
Mike O'Connor is the owner of the Bird Watcher's General Store on Cape Cod. His column, Ask the Bird Folks, appears in The Cape Codder, and his writing has been included in The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2004. He lives in Orleans, Massachusetts.'
Synopsis
In 1983, Mike O'Connor opened the Bird Watcher's General Store on Cape Cod, which might well have been the first store devoted solely to birding in the United States. Since that time he has answered thousands of questions about birds, both at his store and while walking down the aisles of the supermarket. The questions have ranged from inquiries about individual species ("Are flamingos really real?") to what and when to feed birds ("Should I bring in my feeders for the summer?") to the down-and-dirty specifics of backyard birding ("Why are the birds dropping poop in my pool?"). Answering the questions has been easy; keeping a straight face has been hard.
Why Don't Woodpeckers Get Headaches? is the solution for the beginning birder who already has a book that explains the slight variation between Common Ground-Doves and Ruddy Ground-Doves but who is really much more interested in why birds sing at 4:30 A.M. instead of 7:00 A.M., or whether it's okay to feed bread to birds, or how birds rediscover your feeders so quickly when you've just filled them after a long vacation. Or, for that matter, whether flamingos are really real.