Miyoku Chu. Songbird Journeys: Four Seasons in the Lives of Migratory Birds. Walker and Co., 2006.

Songbird Journeys presents much of the latest research on songbird migration in an accessible format. The focus is on the Americas and on songbirds, so there is a lot about Bobolinks and little about hawks or terns. Readers may see this as an update on earlier works by James Baird and others. And we were due for an update.

With continued improvements in radio technology, batteries, radar, and satellite communication, scientists have been able to track even small songbirds on their migrations. Still, much of what we know comes from the dogged observers who track birds across state and international boundaries in all kinds of habitat. The book narrates the adventures of such heroes as Bill Cochran, Richard Graber, and Sidney Gathreaux.

Mostly Songbird Journeys is a fascinating account of numerous Nearctic passerines and their movements. Although the book begins by describing observers on oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, much of the book opens up possibilities for bird observers all over North America—where to go, how to report sightings, and how to predict a “fallout.” The book also brings us up to date on the latest studies on how migrating birds navigate, a far more sophisticated combination of methods than previously believed.

It demonstrates that the smallest migratory warbler in its own way is as tough as any raptor as it runs it biannual migratory gauntlet. It also details recent studies of how territories in wintering grounds (somewhat akin to nesting territories) affect survival rates and how such habitats in the Caribbean and Latin America need to be protected. While there is more about birds that winter in the tropics or South America, it also details the movements of winter finches.

For bird observers, the best feature of this book may be its lists of books and online resources. While we know that some web sites are ephemeral, the book gives good places to start, especially Internet addresses with weather radar postings for reading flocks of “angels.” The color plates by Evan Barbour closely resemble the work of Roger Tory Peterson.

Songbird Journeys tells of the feeding, predation, and impressive survival of songbirds on their annual long distance journeys. Thorough and readable, this little volume is impressive in its storytelling and its scope of information, but the birds it describes are the most impressive of all. (Note to fall hawk watchers—read this and you will see that “dickey birds” can be pretty cool, too!)