Ornithography by Jessica Roux is a book about the symbolic meaning of birds. The author mentions several different species and facts tied to them. This book is a quick “fun” read for anyone who’s interested in such information.

The author does a good job of offering the reader some variety, by mentioning the symbolic meanings of both popular and unpopular birds. She talks about how birds have always inspired us through their delicate mannerisms and captivating songs. We are introduced to interesting terms and folklore behind certain species, which I enjoyed reading. I always enjoy a book with beautiful illustrations, which this book also includes.


This was a 4 star read for me, but may not be for everyone. I recommend this book for anyone who’s interested in birds, mythology or history.

I love birds and find myself drawn to them so it’s no surprise I was drawn to this book, especially with its undeniably gorgeous cover.

The lore throughout the book was truly captivating, and I appreciated the brevity in each description. Each page was easy to understand and would suit a variety of ages. The vintage-style illustrations were a visual treat and featured additional details–such as Catholic crosses for Cardinals–which were little easter eggs tying everything together.

Ornithography would be better suited for physical copies so you could view the text and stunning full-page illustrations side-by-side. However, the ebook would still be the perfect gift for your bird-loving or folklore-enthusiast friends (or yourself).

Definitely not my normal reading selection, but I was drawn in by the beautiful cover!

Ever since playing the boardgame 'Wingspan' I have become fascinated by birds, to the point where I have considered going birdwatching...something my younger self would never imagine saying. The artwork was stunning from cover to cover and the folklore behind each bird was fascinating. As a New Zealander, I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of the Kiwi and the Maori legend surrounding them.

Big thank-you to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You have no idea how ecstatic I was to get my hands on an early copy of this absolutely GORGEOUS copy of Jessica Roux 's Ornithography An Illustrated Guide to Bird Lore & Symbolism.

This book is filled with full-page color illustrations and the lore behind each bird on each page. It has been so much fun learning about all of these different birds, so many I didn't even know existed, learning something new everyday!!

The illustrations in this book were beautiful and I enjoyed the quick information about each birds significance and meaning for cultures around the world. I think this would make a great coffee table book for anyone who likes nature and learning quick tidbits of information. Its all very easy to pick up and look up a bird you are interested in.

Thanks to Netgalley and Andrew McMeel Publishing for granting me access in exchange for an honest review.

Amazing drawings, exceptional art! All the tidbits and legends are just narrated with a almost poetic "voice". I love it!

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC! I adored this book and loved the depictions of each bird and the individual folklore and history surrounding each one.

This is such a beautiful book and I cannot wait to get the physical copy. The illustrations are gorgeous, I am a huge fan of Jessica Roux and her art. I absolutely loved the little myths and lore stories about birds along with some other information too. This is such an interesting take on a bird book.

Jessica Roux's art is so beautiful. This nifty little book combines her beautiful illustrations of all sorts of birds with fascinating history of what those birds have represented over the centuries. It's really cool. I like it.

This was too beautiful! I love everything about it! The art and the folktales made my entire day. I loved learning about these birds. This is perfection.

I love Jessica Roux's art! The images of birds in this volume are beautiful, and the text is sparse but interesting. It's a good choice for art lovers and bird lovers!

Love, love, love this book!!

The book's illustrations are incredible, and the lore is simple but captivating. I can't wait for it to come out so I can get a hard copy! Get this

Thank you, NetGalley and Jessica Roux, for the ARC!

Beautiful illustrations
It's not ment to be a digital book
i would love it as a coffee table book
Just enjoying one bird a day like i do now

Ornithography is a stunning tome full of both fact and lore. Each written entry is accompanied by Jessica Roux's dark and whimsical artwork. She brings the birds to life in such an evocative and thoughtful way, making this book a visual treat! This book would be well suites as a coffee table book or gift!!

I loved Jessica’s other book about the language of flowers and this one about birds and what they can symbolize was just as interesting! The drawings were lovely and I can’t wait to get a copy to keep as a nice little reference!

Ornithography by Jessica Roux is a delicate, haunting tribute to the beauty and fragility of birds. Each illustration is meticulously crafted, bringing these beautiful creatures to life with stunning detail. Roux’s work is more than just art—it’s a narrative that speaks to the themes of freedom, migration, and the thin line between life and death. Her love for the natural world is clear in her meticulous detailing of each species and its lore.

Every page invites you to pause, to contemplate the quiet stories told through feathers and ink. By the end, I was struck by how Roux captures both the wonder and sorrow of the natural world, reminding us of the beauty that exists if we only take the time to notice. Ornithography is a book to be savored, a gentle reminder to look up and appreciate the wild, sometimes fleeting life all around us.

James' rating: 5 out of 5 stars of vividity! ✨

This one was a cool and fascinating read! We had some really good illustrations and a little lore on each species which was fun to read. The illustrations touched the vivid yet mythical outlook which was quite interesting to observe.

I also appreciated the diversity of lore and quirky facts mentioned across the book. Like a very famous story from Japan. I was pleasantly surprised to see various cultures represented. We also have myths scattered about which added an extra variant to the lore.

The quirky facts like superstitions and stories of various cultures was quite amusing to read. It shows us how much birds have influenced cultures that span across generations of the world. This is definitely a book I would recommend to bird lovers out there. Something to add to your collection. 😉

Thanks to Jessica Roux and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an interesting ARC!

Review posted on Goodreads (September 1, 2024)

This book would be perfect for any bird-lover or folklore enthusiast. It has gorgeous illustrations for each bird that it describes and for each bird you are told the meaning behind it, as well as some of the history or lore associated with the bird in different cultures. I would almost describe it as a dialed down encyclopedia of bird lore, and this would be an amazing gift for the bird-lover in your life!

Love this book! The descriptions are very informative. Pictures are beautifully detailed. Will be purchasing a physical copy.

I love the flower one and delightly surprises that it has another version!!! This one's about birds. Loving the lore and always a fans of the artstyle~ thank you for the arc in exchange of honest review 🫶🏼