The Enigma of the Owl

"Excellent for armchair owling, general reference and the pleasure of looking at photographs of birds that manage uncannily to look like old friends transfigured by feathers—even with mice, frogs or snakes dangling from their beaks. Written with lively, unforced erudition by nature writer Mike Unwin, The Enigma of the Owl is a beautiful book, with 200 extraordinary images of hunting, nesting, flying and perching owls."—Jonathan Rosen, Wall Street Journal

"The Enigma of the Owl, by Mike Unwin with photographs by David Tipling, explores the diversity, beauty and ecological importance of these nocturnal birds of prey."—Rachel Nuwer, New York Times

"This book is sure to delight any nature lover."—Wall Street Journal, Best Books to Give the Nature Lover in Your Life 2017

"Thank you, David Tipling, for the sumptuous, endearing and terrifying photographs of these uncanny creatures in The Enigma of the Owl: An Illustrated Natural History. And Mike Unwin’s authoritative descriptions of the owl way of life are fascinating."—Dominique Browning, New York Times Book Review

"Visually stunning and scientifically sound, this title will appeal to owl enthusiasts as well as the casual browser."—Booklist

"Mike Unwin — who keenly narrates The Enigma of the Owl: An Illustrated Natural History — brings the right measure of tempered awe, clarity and glee to the project. He lets the owl’s story speak for itself, with help from his pen and easy sensibility, all the while infusing his writing with the right measure of starchy erudition. . . . Just as there is not a muzzy word in the text, not one of the 200 photographs is unworthy of a museum home. David Tipling stands this side of perfection."—Peter Lewis, Star Tribune

"With their straight-on stares and nocturnal habits, owls are among the most intriguing and inscrutable of animals. In this large-format book, more than 200 photographs of owls in the wild and essays by nature writer Unwin help to demystify the creatures. The pictures, taken or selected by Tipling, catch owls on the wing, in the nest and on the hunt, providing a close-up look at dozens of species. Among the highlights: the Eurasian eagle owl, which can weigh up to 10 pounds and take down foxes and eagles, and the great grey owl, which, by sound alone, can locate and catch prey creeping underneath a layer of snow up to 30 feet below the bird's perch in a tree."—Scientific American

"Unwin and Tipling have created a visual feast on the beauty and strength of these mysterious creatures. Birding enthusiasts are sure to find it a captivating read, but the photography alone is enough to delight anyone interested in nature."—Hope Murnane Foley, Providence Journal

Included on the 2017 Best Book List by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

"By grouping select owls geographically . . . Unwin and Tipling enable better appreciation of their unique adaptive capacities. I found I was on a worldwide tour and savoring each species group!"—Tony Angell, from the Foreword