Now THIS is a fabulous book! Very practical, accessible, witty and informative. Most of us are accustomed to seeing pigeons but perhaps not really noticing them. So trite but from now on I will pay greater attention to them. Amazingly, these remarkable creatures survive our -40C climate better than I do! There were several a-ha moments when reading this. Love those.

The author writes simply, engagingly and entertainingly in a very understandable way. She manages to add humour to scientific details such as nomenclature, genetics and anatomy. There is even a page on pigeon expressions. This is definitely not remotely text-bookish (for those who are put off by that sort of thing).

Nikola Tesla was smitten with these fascinating birds which clap, dance, kiss and use tactical rolling maneuvers on the ground when eyed up by predators. They can range in size from paper currency to a loaf of bread. Reading about their life-saving role in the wars (flying speed of 97 kph) is mind blowing. The author describes several species (which I subsequently looked up online) including the Scandaroon (priceless Salvador Dali painting analogy), Fantail, Arabian Trumpeter and Frillback.

Remarkably, pigeons soak up fresh oxygen with each breath, even when exhaling. Unlike humans, their blood cells are oval in shape. Their beaks remain closed when they coo. Gular fluttering is new to me. And no, I didn't try it! There is even information on predators and what to do if you find an injured pigeon. The mating illustration, though! Details like that are what elevate a good book to a great one.

Anyone interested in birds ought to grab this book. Kids would enjoy learning from it, too. Excellent timing as many people seem to be enjoying local nature these days, whether rural or urban.

My sincere thank you to Workman Publishing Company and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this educational book...such a fun treat!

I received a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

One day while I was browsing through the recently added titles on Netgalley this book caught my eye. Usually I limit my non-fiction book reading to book marketing related books, but something about the cover and blurb caught my attention and I hit request before I could think twice. Luckily I got accepted and I was really excited to start reading this one. I knew hardly anything about pigeons before I started this book and after reading this one I really know a lot more and had a fun time learning more.

A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching is a great read. It's written in an easy to follow and pleasant to read style. The book is also filled with illustrations of pigeons and at times other birds. I liked the illustrations and it added to the book. I really like how the book is easy to follow even for those who know nothing of pigeons and this book really enhanced my knowledge of pigeons.

Most of all this was such a fun read. I loved reading it and sharing the new tidbits I learned about pigeons with those around me. It was fascinating to learn about a topic I knew so little about and the more I read the more I grew to understand why the author likes these birds so much. The bits about the history as well as the interesting habits were probably my favorite parts. There are also parts about different types of pigeons, anatomy and more. There were so many interesting parts and I really enjoyed adding to my knowledge.

To summarize: This was such a great read! I had a lot of fun reading this one and learning more about pigeons. This book is easy to follow even if you know almost nothing about pigeons like I did. The writing style is pleasant and the artwork is great. I enjoyed learning more about pigeons and there is a lot of great information. This book really grew my knowledge of pigeons and interest in these birds. I would recommend this to everyone who would like to learn a bit more about pigeons!

Looved it!

I do adore pigeons and believe they are great fixture of our cities. This book took my appreciation for these creatures to a new level, finding out more about their complex bodies, their traits and lives.

This book is so complex and so good, it's a treasure trove of surprising information, it features a lot of breeds without being overwhelming, there are a lot of details about how to spot different actions they take and how and when to take care of them. The writing is very balanced: the author acknowledges the history of pigeons being grown as food for humans, their importance to our environment but also cautions on the responsibilities of feeding them thus making their numbers grow. Pigeons do very well on their own.

All in all a fantastic, eye opening read. I adored the easy way in which the author approaches the readers, so many funny remarks! A true gem!

Absolutely fantastic all around.

I came to this book as a pretty big pigeon fan already, so I didn’t personally need further convincing that pigeons are incredible. However, the book was so informative and enthusiastic about pigeons that I am making a commitment to stanning pigeons even more actively.

The author handles the subject with scientific rigour and historical awareness while keeping a very light, fun and enthusiastic tone throughout. It’s incredibly accessible and presents complex information in a very simple manner. When new words pop up, she tells you how they’re pronounced, and she explains complex topics from the ground up (for instance, instead of assuming readers will remember their biology classes from school or pointing them elsewhere for an explanation, a short primer on genetics is included before the section on pigeon genetics). I think this accessibility is one of the strongest points of the book. Even if you’re familiar with some of the topics beforehand, the explanations are so brief and simple (without sacrificing accuracy!) it feels like a welcome refresher instead of something boring you are reading through but already know. Even though the book does have a slight American flavour, luckily effort has been made to make it totally relevant for a more international audience. If pigeons are around you (and odds are they are), this will be relevant!

The illustrations are just perfect, really, working efficiently to accurately show particular points of pigeon anatomy and behaviour without losing any of the personality of pigeons, and often adding funny elements. The colours are absolutely gorgeous, and the style is so consistent throughout. So impressed by the visual aspects of this book (including layout and general design).

My only criticism is that I thought it presented (in)breeding in a very neutral way even when describing certain breeds as literally incapable of feeding their young or flying. I would have liked an explicitly critical approach to some of the more clearly iffy aspects of the selective breeding of sentient animals, but still, based on the general tone and some comments about us having a moral responsibility to treat animals humanely, especially those that exist because of out domestication and breeding, I think the author’s ethics would align with mine there. I’m so used to naturalists being dismissive about or downright hateful of urban wildlife that the author’s tone, enthusiasm and compassion for pigeons was very welcome and refreshing, especially when it’s clearly in no way incompatible with her scientific approach.

I liked it so much I’ll probably pick up a paper copy when it’s published. I think it would make a great gift too, for teens and adults alike.

I’d love to see this author tackle (urban) gulls in a similar manner!

This is a gem of a book and is highly recommended. Living in an urban environment I am accustomed to seeing pigeons everywhere and for the most part ignoring them. However, in 2020 I spent a lot of time sat in my local square watching pigeons, observing their behaviour and wondering, why this and why that. This book was a godsend as it answered so many questions and is beautifully written. The puns make the topic area highly engaging and I adored the illustrations, which added character to the birds. It covers their genealogy, the history of domestic pigeons and keeping them, how and why they were revered and now why they are despised. As well as different breeds, plumage, their lifecycle and what to do if you find one injured.

Although it leans towards a USA based audience (for example it refers to USA organisations) this shouldn't put you off. For someone like me who is surprised at their new found interest in nature, this book is a great introduction to pigeons. It is comprehensive, enthusiastic and surprisingly - I couldn't put it down. More please.

A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching invites the reader to learn all about pigeons and the interactions between pigeons and humans throughout history. Bird lovers should enjoy this book. And perhaps those that aren't fans of feral pigeons will be inspired to look beyond the problems caused by urban pigeons and appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of the species. The book's author, Rosemary Mosco, writes in an entertaining manner. I recommend this book for young adults to adults. It could also be used with children with an adult reading fun parts to them and showing them the illustrations.

Pigeons are everywhere and mostly we ignore them. This little book will open your eyes to these fascinating creatures that share our cities and suburbs.

You may think pigeons are so common that there would be no point in bothering to look at them, but this book makes the case that they are not only interesting to look at, but interesting to find. out more about.

Very accessibly written, easy to understand, and divided into sections so you can skip ahead in case you don't like reading in order.

There is even a detailed section on pigeon sex (which a little black censor area for where they two pigeons mate).

Written with a lot of humor, including jokes about how male pigeons like to fly into the air, after tex, and clap their wings together, as though cheering themselves on.

Lots of good information to have on hand, in case you ever wondered about pigeons, or about birds in general.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.</em>