This Is One of the Best Field Biology Books in Years
Jonathan Slaght’s Owls of the Eastern Ice is an engrossing read about science and conservation
Sometimes when people find out I work as a science editor, they ask me for a book recommendation. Jonathan Slaght’s Owls of the Eastern Ice is one of the best field biology books I’ve read in recent years. The work, which came out in 2020, chronicles Slaght’s quest to find and understand the world’s largest owl. The wildlife biologist travels around the wilds of Primorye, a region in the Far East of Russia, looking for the rare Blakiston’s fish owl. Fewer than 2,000 of the birds, which have wingspans of more than six feet, survive in the wild. To save them, scientists must learn more about them. Enter Slaght. He rides a snowmobile over river ice that threatens to melt and swallow his ride, sleeps in houses in small towns where locals come to chat over bottles of vodka, and traverses through snow and cold to search for the bird. To register the smallest clues of the bird’s presence, he must pay attention. The bird’s call is low and faint, but can travel several kilometers in the crisp winter air, so Slaght must be quiet and wait. When he comes upon a songbird’s nest, he wisely searches it, and finds a surprise—the feather of an owl used for insulation. Since the owls feed mainly on fish, Slaght knows in winter he has a better chance of finding the birds near parts of a river where natural hot springs keep the water free of ice. And there he goes. As Slaght searches for, and finds, the birds, he shares captivating details and stories about the animal and the humans that interact with it. He learns of a hunter who goes out of his way to trap, poison, and shoot owls—acts of vengeance. One spring the man went out to poop and unknowingly squatted over a young fish owl, which flopped on its back and reached its talon up and squeezed the man’s testicle in defense. As Slaght studies the birds, he makes mistakes, and shares them honestly. For a long time, the author admits, he determined the sex of the birds incorrectly. But Slaght is also successful. To find out how successful he is, and why it matters, you’ll want to read the book. You won’t find those bits until the end, and they are worth the wait, but not the only reason to read the book. The journey throughout is entertaining, funny, and fascinating.
Suggested Reading:
Owls of the Eastern Ice, Jonathan Slaght (book)
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Thanks for reading,
Joe
Thank you, Joe! I look forward to reading this book. We have Barred Owls who live behind our house.