Singing Lives of Warblers

An immersive journey into the hidden world of warbler songThe Singing Lives of Warblers explores the singing minds of the tiny, winged jewels that visit from the tropics all too briefly each spring and summer. Through fifty you-are-there narratives, two scientists with nearly a century of combined field experience take readers into the field on listening adventures filled with discovery. In the first account, prowl through the night with the Ovenbird, discovering that its complex nocturnal song is likely intended for females. In the fiftieth, stand at dawn with Painted Redstarts, marveling at their astonishing rapid-fire exchanges as rival males duel in song across a territorial boundary. And for all 48 species in between, readers accompany the authors to hear these warblers as few people have ever heard them. Comprehensive and authoritative yet deeply inviting and engaging, this accessible book is an invitation to listen mindfully and attentively to one of the world’s most beloved groups of birds.Covers all 50 regularly occurring species in the United States and CanadaFocuses on how males attract mates, sing through the dawn chorus, defend territories, and much moreReveals what singing tells us about mating status, motivations, and emotionsCorrects many misconceptions about warblersConnects readers to nearly 700 recordings on an accompanying website—more than 50 hours of immersive listeningFeatures hundreds of sonagrams, graphs, and stunning color photos