About this item
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERForeword by Barbara KingsolverOver 250 images by acclaimed wildlife photographer Gerrit VynEssays by Jared Diamond, John W. Fitzpatrick, Lyanda Lynn Haupt, and Scott Weidensaul The Living Bird explores the relationship between birds and people through over 250 images by wildlife photographer Gerrit Vyn and thought-provoking essays by some of the worlds leading naturalists and bird enthusiasts. The book also marks the 100th anniversary of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a world leader in the study, appreciation, and conservation of birds. Captured in terrain both exotic and familiar--the Yukon Delta, a woods in Arkansas, a remote village in Russias Arctic, and even urban Seattle--Vyns remarkable photographs illustrate nearly 100 North American bird species. The exhilaration of migratory Whooping Cranes, the fragility of the endangered Spoon-Billed Sandpiper, and the wide-eyed beauty of Great Horned Owls all come alive on the page. From enjoying backyard Black-capped Chickadees and Yellow Warblers, to wondering over a Pileated Woodpecker, or to admiring the powerful soar of a Gyrfalcon, The Living Bird educates and inspires.. "I think maybe everyone needs birds, at least a little." --Barbara Kingsolver, from the Foreword
About the Author
I am a Portland, Oregon-based photographer deeply committed to conservation and connecting people more intimately with the myriad creatures we share this miraculous and fragile planet with. My work often focuses on birds because they are such powerful and visible indicators of environmental health and change. Connecting people with birds is often a first step in opening people's eyes to the natural world around them - and to the unprecedented environmental crises now unfolding. My purpose is to help conservation groups better communicate their stories to individuals and policy makers through powerful compelling media.
My images have been used by most major conservation organizations and appear regularly in books and magazines including National Geographic, Audubon, Living Bird, BBC Wildlife, Natural History, National Wildlife and The New York Times. I was the primary image provider for the 2009 and 2011 State of the Birds reports that were delivered to the Obama administration and congress by a coalition of leading environmental organizations.
My audio and video work have been featured on radio and television programs including NPR's Morning Edition, PRI's Living on Earth, Birdnote, PBS News Hour and CBS Sunday Morning. I was the principal cinematographer for the 2015 PBS Nature episode, The Sagebrush Sea. As a natural sound recordist I have contributed thousands of recordings to the Macaulay Library collection at Cornell University and have produced and authored two CD compilations, Voices of North American Owls and Bird Songs of the Pacific Northwest.
I am a Producer for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and a Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP) .
