Product Details
Hardcover
272 pages
Chronicle Books
Published 2003
From Publishers Weekly
From the makers of the Oscar-nominated documentary film Winged Migration comes this companion volume of photographs and essays on the rituals and travels of birds. Perrin, the documentary's producer, and Mongibeaux, a special correspondent for Figaro magazine, take a broad, poetic approach to their subject, peppering their work with dramatic lines like "as soon as spring comes, the birds obey, each in their own way, the same law that their ancestors have obeyed since the dawn of time." Though the book overflows with "Feathered Facts" and substantial essays by practicing ornithologists, its tone leans more toward celebration than scientific detachment. The result is an unusually passionate survey of entire class of animals, illustrated with stunning film stills and photographs. There are two-page spreads showing Canada geese flying over the deserts of Arizona and close-ups of pink flamingos in Kenya. Fans of the film will appreciate the book's last section, which explains how the filmmakers used ultra-light miniature aircraft and "bird actors" to document the migration routes of several species. A beautiful tribute to the animal kingdom's diversity and adaptability, this volume should appeal to both birders and armchair travelers.
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From Booklist
Perrin assembled a team of photographers to accompany birds on their migration, and the result was the acclaimed film Winged Migration. This companion book captures much of the majesty of the film, getting, as Perrin says, "close to their mystery" in hundreds of still photographs. Years of continuous shooting in 40 countries, the assistance of dozens of ornithologists, and scores of birds raised in captivity and trained to fly with ultralight aircraft are all documented in a behind-the-scenes... read more
Book Description
The companion to the Oscar(r)-nominated film, Winged Migration is the definitive visual account of its subject: the extraordinary flights of migrating birds around the world. Migration is an enigma. Who knows why the cuckoo, born in Europe, flies alone to the far forests of Africa, home of its ancestors? Or how the Arctic tern can fly over ten thousand miles on its astonishing journey from pole to pole? Winged Migration follows single birds and whole squadrons on their restless flights seeking answers to such riddles. The result is a tour de force that is testament to the patience of a globe-trotting team of filmmakers and ornithologists. With its informative text, Winged Migration offers both the general reader and the dedicated bird watcher a bird's-eye view of five continents and a grand, yet intimate, portrait of the secret life of birds. |
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