What an Owl Knows

The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds

Take flight with the secret life of owls.

‘And if anyone knows anything about anything… it's Owl who knows something about something.’ Winnie-the-Pooh, A. A. Milne

From prehistoric cave paintings to the prints and etchings of Picasso, owls have captivated and inspired us for millennia.

Whether they appear as ancient Athenian symbols of wisdom, ghostly harbingers of death, or the cuddly sidekicks of Harry Potter and Winnie the Pooh, these birds have continued to fascinate and disturb us in equal measure.

Through revelatory new behavioural research, Jennifer Ackerman provides an intimate glimpse into these magnificent creatures’ lives. From the evolutionary quirks behind their silent flight and rotating heads, to their romantic relationships and parenting styles, What an Owl Knows brings the rich natural history of owls to life. Deftly weaving together science and art, Ackerman journeys into the owl’s moonlit world and asks: what is it about these birds that so enthrals us?

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*THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*

A TIMES AND ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023

'Fascinating… we often hear a barn owl hooting in a stand of pine trees behind the house. It’s an eerie, mysterious sound that never fails to enchant. And it is this enchantment that is at the core of this charming, deeply researched book.' GUARDIAN

'Once again, Jennifer Ackerman has written a fascinating, fact-filled and wonderfully readable work of popular science – this time on one of the most mysterious and charismatic of all bird families: the owls.' STEPHEN MOSS

‘Ackerman’s love for these birds is totally infectious… Long may they continue to fly through the darkness.’ DAILY MAIL

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