The Secret Perfume of Birds

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What to expect

The untold story of a stunning discovery: not only can birds smell, but their scents may be the secret to understanding their world.

The puzzling lack of evidence for the peculiar but widespread belief that birds have no sense of smell irked evolutionary biologist Danielle Whittaker. Exploring the science behind the myth led her on an unexpected quest investigating mysteries from how juncos win a fight to why cowbirds smell like cookies. In The Secret Perfume of Birds―part science, part intellectual history, and part memoir―Whittaker blends humor, clear writing, and a compelling narrative to describe how scent is important not just for birds but for all animals, including humans.

Whittaker engagingly describes how emerging research has uncovered bird’s ability to produce complex chemical signals that influence their behavior, including where they build nests, when they pick a fight, and why they fly away. Mate choice, or sexual selection―a still enigmatic aspect of many animal’s lives―appears to be particularly influenced by smell. Whittaker’s pioneering studies suggest that bird’s sexy—and scary—signals are produced by symbiotic bacteria that manufacture scents in the oil that birds stroke on their feathers when preening. From tangerine-scented auklets to her beloved juncos, redolent of moss, birds from across the world feature in Whittaker’s stories, but she also examines the smelly chemicals of all kinds of creatures, from iguanas and bees to monkeys and humans.

Listeners will enjoy a rare opportunity to witness the twisting roads scientific research can take, especially the challenging, hilarious, and occasionally dangerous realities of ornithology in the wild. The Secret Perfume of Birds will interest anyone looking to learn more about birds, about how animals and humans use our senses, and about why it can sometimes take a rebel scientist to change what we think we know for sure about the world―and ourselves.

Critics Review

“Full of fascinating fact-filled diversions as well as eye-opening anecdotes about the scientific life, this book changed the way I see (and smell) birds. Read it and you’ll uncover new behaviors, perspectives, and possibilities.”

Rosemary Mosco, creator of the comic strip Bird and Moon

“Whittaker’s book weaves a captivating personal story about how science (really) works and why birds actually have a much better sense of smell than we previously thought. She brings humor, verve, and curiosity to her discussions of bird biology, until the science itself comes to life.”

Ann-Sophie Barwich, author of Smellosophy: What the Nose Tells the Mind

“Covering a topic even expert birders would find intriguing, The Secret Perfume of Birds explores new territory related to neuroscience. Whittaker’s writing style will be compelling to anyone who enjoys learning more about natural history. This delightful book will make a great addition to current popular nonfiction literature.”

Laurie Spry, New England naturalist, birder, and educator

“From tangerine-scented auklets to mossy-smelling juncos, birds are more fragrant than you might think.”

New Scientist

“A delightfully meandering account…Whittaker presents a new lens for bird lovers to view common species, and she had me wondering what some of my favorite birds smell like…The book’s greatest success is how it depicts the reality of doing science…It takes a diverse group of perspectives―and the humility to reconsider our biases―to truly understand our world.”

Scientific American

“Whittaker blends science writing and memoir to explore how birds make use of odors in her delightful debut. Whittaker’s a natural explainer, and her willingness to poke fun at herself only enhances her fascinating account. Fans of Jon Dunn and Jonathan Meiburg will be charmed.”

Publishers Weekly

“This fun and fascinating book dispels the myth that birds can’t smell, a topic largely overlooked since the time of Audubon. Whittaker uses her own unusual backstory to lead us through many interwoven layers of bird olfaction, mate choice, and social behavior. She cleverly introduces us to bird scent at multiple levels of biological complexity (microbes to immune function to behavior) and provides comparisons across taxa, including humans! The Secret Perfume of Birds enables readers, for the first time, to master an understanding of how scents feature in the lives of birds while sharing with us the ‘wow factor’ that scientists experience when they discover how nature actually works!”

Julie C. Hagelin, University of Alaska

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