The World of the Hummingbird Book

"Feathered jewels," "rainbows on wings," "rays of the sun"— these are but a few of the admiring descriptions hummingbirds have inspired in observers through the ages. In this engaging new book, award-winning writer and poet Harry Thurston adds his own unique voice to the chorus in praise of these tiny, colorful birds.

The author has spent many hours watching the antics of hummers that visit the feeders around his Nova Scotia home. The result is this affectionate and information-packed portrait. Skillfully interweaving his own observations with those of distinguished ornithologists, naturalists, and fellow hummingbird enthusiasts, Thurston offers reader a close-up view of the birds' physiology, as well as their habits and behaviors. The hummingbird's jewel-like color and constant hovering flight elicit wonder and delight, and a deeper examination of its behaviors—fastidious nector—sipping among flowers, elaborate courtship rituals, the building of nests delicately bound with cobwebs, even self-regulation of body temperature to conserve energy—only enhance our appreciation of this hardy little creature. It is small wonder that people in the Americas, from as early as the time of the Aztecs, have been drawn to the hummingbird as a religious symbol, as well as a source of simple delight. Perhaps, says the author, it is "our cumulative individual desire to have these beautiful birds as part of our environment" that has made them one of the success stories in our attempts to preserve wildlife.

Thurston's obvious delight in hummingbirds comes through on every page of this lively, fascinating account. Accompanying the text is a collection of stunningphotographs that catch the birds in mid-flight, probing flowers with their slender bills, or feeding minuscule offspring in their nest. Together, text and photos offer a unique and fascinating look at these "feathered jewels in flight."