Where Song Began: Australia’s distinctive birds and their role in evolution
Details
IN PERSON: Let's meet and talk about Australia’s distinctive birds and their role in evolution based on the book by biologist Tim Low.
"Renowned for its gallery of unusual mammals, Australia is also a land of extraordinary birds. But unlike the mammals, the birds of Australia flew beyond the continent’s boundaries and around the globe many millions of years ago. This eye-opening book tells the dynamic but little-known story of how Australia provided the world with songbirds and parrots, among other bird groups, why Australian birds wield surprising ecological power, how Australia became a major evolutionary center, and why scientific biases have hindered recognition of these discoveries.
"From violent, swooping magpies to tool-making cockatoos, Australia’s birds are strikingly different from birds of other lands—often more intelligent and aggressive, often larger and longer-lived. Tim Low, a renowned biologist with a rare storytelling gift, here presents the amazing evolutionary history of Australia’s birds. The story of the birds, it turns out, is inseparable from the story of the continent itself and also the people who inhabit it."
Everyone is welcome whether you have explored the topic before or not.
You can:
At this meeting each person can nominate a book to be voted on whether it is from the pool of candidates or not.
We'll be meeting at Cafe Express. There is ample parking in the nearby lot.
Come prepared to discuss the ideas in the book and have a good time.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Where Song Began: Australia’s distinctive birds and their role in evolution