Owls: The Silent Fliers

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

Nothing equals personal experience for bringing nonfiction to life. R.D.
Lawrence, with some 18 publications to his credit, is one of Canada’s
leading wildlife champions. Although best known for his work on wolves,
he also has expert status on other forms of wildlife. He has
rehabilitated several injured owls, and observed and formed
relationships with others.

In this book, Lawrence presents a detailed essay and several color
photos on each of the 19 North American owl species. The essays
represent good natural history, covering habitat, description, behavior,
food sources, hunting style, nesting, range, unique features, and
characteristics. Although all are professionally written, the prose
comes to life when Lawrence brings in personal experiences and
first-hand accounts of his encounters with the species.

The book’s natural-history focus is supplemented with an extensive
look at the role of owls in folklore and mythology. Perhaps because of
their silent flight, nocturnal hunting ability, upright stance, and
watchfulness, owls have intrigued humans since prehistory. They were
widely assumed to be harbingers of death and messengers of evil.

More than 60 top-quality color photos by freelancers accompany
Lawrence’s own solid text, resulting in a work that portrays owls as
beautiful, responsive birds whose existence adds to our pleasure in
observing nature. Like this book, they deserve our respect.