Winged Migration

From Publishers Weekly
From the makers of the Oscar-nominated documentary film Winged Migration comes this companion volume of photographs and essays on the rituals and travels of birds. Perrin, the documentary's producer, and Mongibeaux, a special correspondent for Figaro magazine, take a broad, poetic approach to their subject, peppering their work with dramatic lines like "as soon as spring comes, the birds obey, each in their own way, the same law that their ancestors have obeyed since the dawn of time." Though the book overflows with "Feathered Facts" and substantial essays by practicing ornithologists, its tone leans more toward celebration than scientific detachment. The result is an unusually passionate survey of entire class of animals, illustrated with stunning film stills and photographs. There are two-page spreads showing Canada geese flying over the deserts of Arizona and close-ups of pink flamingos in Kenya. Fans of the film will appreciate the book's last section, which explains how the filmmakers used ultra-light miniature aircraft and "bird actors" to document the migration routes of several species. A beautiful tribute to the animal kingdom's diversity and adaptability, this volume should appeal to both birders and armchair travelers. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From Booklist
Perrin assembled a team of photographers to accompany birds on their migration, and the result was the acclaimed film Winged Migration. This companion book captures much of the majesty of the film, getting, as Perrin says, "close to their mystery" in hundreds of still photographs. Years of continuous shooting in 40 countries, the assistance of dozens of ornithologists, and scores of birds raised in captivity and trained to fly with ultralight aircraft are all documented in a behind-the-scenes section, which many readers may choose to read first. The meat of the book, however, transcends the more mundane facts of "how they did it" and reaches the plane of "isn't this a miracle?" Photo after photo transports the reader into the world of birds, from nesting to learning to fly and ultimately to migration. The text is both factual and lyrical, enlivened by quotes from the filmmakers and ornithologists, with sidebars of facts and other in-depth information. Although expensive, this beautiful book expresses the wonder of migration far better than any previous work and is highly recommended. Nancy Bent
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
The companion to the Oscar(r)-nominated film, Winged Migration is the definitive visual account of its subject: the extraordinary flights of migrating birds around the world. Migration is an enigma. Who knows why the cuckoo, born in Europe, flies alone to the far forests of Africa, home of its ancestors? Or how the Arctic tern can fly over ten thousand miles on its astonishing journey from pole to pole? Winged Migration follows single birds and whole squadrons on their restless flights seeking answers to such riddles. The result is a tour de force that is testament to the patience of a globe-trotting team of filmmakers and ornithologists. With its informative text, Winged Migration offers both the general reader and the dedicated bird watcher a bird's-eye view of five continents and a grand, yet intimate, portrait of the secret life of birds.


About the Author
Jacques Perrin , producer of the internationally successful film Microcosmos, produced the documentary film Winged Migration. Jean-Francois Mongibeaux , a journalist and writer, covered the filming of Winged Migration.


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This companion volume to Perrin's astonishing Oscar-nominated documentary, Winged Migration (which seeks to "fly in the company of birds"), examines in greater detail the how and why of bird migration. The film's breathtaking visual images have not been sacrificed here. Numerous top-quality photographs-featuring two-page spreads, foldouts, and gatefolds-include a serene bald eagle reunion on Alaska's Chilkat River and stunning views of Japanese cranes dancing and strutting as a courting display on Hokkaido Island. One moment readers are flying with white pelicans over Senegal, the next they are in formation with barnacle geese over Iceland. How were these amazing bird's-eye shots taken? Journalist Mongibeaux, who covered the documentary's four-year filming, provides the answers in a behind-the-scenes chapter. To achieve this close-up intimacy, he reveals that the birds had to be raised, trained, and made accustomed to humans in captivity. Their activities were then filmed by remote control gliders and ultralight aircraft. Detailed natural history profiles and migratory maps for 19 of the film's avian cast members are a welcome addition, as are the other informative and engaging feathered facts throughout. This labor of love is highly recommended for public and academic libraries.-Howard Katz, New York Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.


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