Books

Feather Trails - A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds

“If you take care of birds, you take care of most of the environmental problems in the world,” according to conservationist Thomas Lovejoy. FEATHER TRAILS—A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY AMONG ENDANGERED BIRDS is the compelling story of a young woman’s attempts to “take care of birds” by working to save three endangered species. As she introduces captive-reared Peregrine Falcons, Hawaiian Crows, and California Condors to the wild, she discovers not only what it takes to be a wildlife biologist, but also what threatens the birds that she and others work so passionately to save. And as she learns about the dangers that have imperiled these charismatic species, she discovers that what is harming them may well threaten our own lives too.

FEATHER TRAILS will be published by Chelsea Green Publishing May 2, 2024.

REVIEWS

“ I cannot put Feather Trails down. The book flies, and gracefully. It is timely, important, and applies widely… and I hope it will be widely read.”
—Bernd Heinrich, author of The Mind of the Raven.

“Feather Trails takes you behind the front lines of conservation to experience the daily rigor and reward of a field biologist. Osborn guides you through forests and canyons where our most endangered birds eat, sleep, and breed. As she works to understand and restore their populations, her splendid recounting explores the science of birds and their conservation, reveals the challenges a young technician must overcome, and inspires care for the rarest creatures among us.”
—John M. Marzluff, author of Gifts of the Crow.

“Few biologists have had Sophie Osborn’s front-row seat to the challenges and triumphs of saving critically endangered birds. In Feather Trails, Osborn does more than take us deep inside her [work] to bring Peregrine Falcons, Hawaiian Crows, and California Condors back from the brink. By immersing us in the lives of these birds, we see them as she sees them—unique individuals whose successes and tragedies become our own. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
—Scott Weidensaul, author of A World on the Wing

“Field biologists are my heroes. Sophie Osborn is one of the main reasons why. Her fieldwork, like her writing, does more than draw attention to the plight of sacred species like the California Condor, the Peregrine Falcon, and the Hawaiian Crow. It also shows us how and why those creatures can be saved.”
—John Nielsen, former National Public Radio environment correspondent; author of Condor: To the Brink and Back

“Sophie’s dedication to conservation and love of birds and the environment shine through the pages of this book.”
—David Lindo, author of The Urban Birder

“Through the adventures of a spirited field biologist, we are awakened to the plight of imperiled birds. This is a story of tenacity, the power of the Endangered Species Act, and ultimately of hope for bringing back birds from the brink of extinction.”
—Marina Richie, author of Halcyon Journey

See Also: Feather Trails review on 10,000 Birds—Birds, Birding and Blogging by Donna Schulman