What are birds?

Are they really today’s dinosaurs as against us mammals and how does their evolution compare with that of humans and their lifestyle, parenting, tools, travelling and intelligence – better or worse? Was it they who first discovered music and then taught us – and do they too have an aesthetic sense and a joy in play? What about the art of birds and – well, how many poems or proverbs about birds do you know? This beautifully argued and illustrated book gives some startling answers. It contends, most unusually, that it is time for us to revise the widespread assumption, most distinctly expressed in Harari’s magnificent best-selling Sapiens and Homo dues, that we humans are the Lords of the Earth. Rather, Callender argues, it is for humans, not after all so unlike birds, to share the guardianship of our precious world with this wonderful parallel species. We have our gifts too, but birds have the advantage of many more millions of years and climate changes here in which to learn and survive as highly intelligent and generous guardians of our precious earth.

Available worldwide – NOW at

AMAZON UK or AMAZON USA

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David Campbell Callender is a pen name of the anthropologist

Ruth Finnegan.

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5.0 out of 5 stars.
A memorable and meaningful narrative.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸.

Birds and Humans: Who are We? by author Ruth Finnegan, teaches readers about the history of birds and how their way of living and evolution can be compared to that of humans. Their lifestyle is similar since they also have families, travel, and are highly intelligent. In addition, the author explores birds’ connections to both art and music. Through illustrations, the author exposes the origin of birds, who they are, and what we are. She even includes some poems about birds for readers to enjoy. Even though one may think that this book is meant only for those interested in birds or those who are fans of wildlife and animals, this is not the case. Birds and Humans: Who are We? is one of those narratives intended to open minds and to be used as a resource for background knowledge on creatures with whom we coexist. I liked the fact that the main focus of the book was put on the birds themselves, their origin, and how they develop. I especially enjoyed the way the author explained how they came to interact with humans.

Ruth Finnegan seems to have researched a great deal on this subject, and she has certainly developed a writing style that presents information in a straightforward way making this a smooth read with topics that are easy to understand. I consider Birds and Humans: Who are We? by author Ruth Finnegan, to be one of those books that can easily be used at schools, especially at elementary schools. Besides, it makes a wonderful gift for children or loved ones. The fascinating creative details included in the various parts of the book make it appealing to different types of readers.