Many people are captivated by the amazing variety of birds they see and hear, and observing birds can be a life-enriching pursuit.

To explore avian diversity requires a mental map, a framework that helps us organize our experiences and observations, and fortunately, the scientific classification of birds provides exactly what we need. Whether you are an experienced ornithologist or you have just discovered birding, David Winkler’s new book serves as an excellent reference guide and learning tool for understanding both the evolutionary diversity of the world’s birds and their great variation in appearance, ecology, and behavior.

Join us for a Chats in the Stacks book talk with Professor David W. Winkler, the faculty curator of birds in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, director of the Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates, and member of Cornell’s Laboratory of Ornithology. Bird Families of the World, published by Lynx Edicions and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (Dec. 2015), has been designed to serve both as a text for ornithology courses and as a resource for bird enthusiasts of all levels. The work contains hundreds of beautiful color illustrations and photographs from bird enthusiasts around the globe, as well as paintings of one species from each of the genera in each family. The book is coauthored by Irby J. Lovette, Fuller Professor of Ornithology at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

Refreshments served and Wild Birds Unlimited will have books available for purchase. This event is hosted by Mann Library.