Tony Angell, master artist and naturalist, offers an intimate account of owls he has observed, admired, and depicted for decades For a quarter century, Tony Angell and his family shared the remarkable experience of closely observing pairs of western screech owls that occupied a nesting box outside their forest home. The journals the author recorded his observations in, and the captivating drawings he created, form the heart of this compelling book—a personal account of an artist-naturalist’s life with owls. Angell’s extensive illustrations show owls engaged in what owls do—hunting, courting, raising families, and exercising their inquisitive natures—and reveal his immeasurable respect for their secret lives and daunting challenges. Angell discusses the unique characteristics that distinguish owls from other bird species and provides a fascinating overview of the impact owls have had on human culture and thought. He also offers detailed scientific descriptions of the nineteen species of owls found in North America, as well as their close relatives elsewhere. Always emphasizing the interaction of humans and owls, the author affirms by his own example the power of these birds both to beguile and to inspire.
Tony Angell is the author or illustrator of numerous books in the fields of art and natural history.
Table of Contents
Foreword Robert Michael Pyle ix
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xvii
1 The House of Owls 1
2 About Owls 35
3 Owls and Human Culture 71
4 Owls in Company with People 85
5 Owls of Unique Habitat 129
6 Owls of Wild and Remote Places 167
Bibliography 187
Illustration Credits 193
Index 195
Interviews
“Evolution has exquisitely designed owls for their lives as predators. They possess memories of place that are so keen they can maneuver expertly through the branches of trees in near total darkness. They are inquisitive, passionate, aggressive, deceptive, and at times quite valiant creatures. They experience pleasure and fear, and form inseparable pair bonds. As we humans make our impact felt on ecosystems and further pollute our planet, these birds are among the most vulnerable to the changes. The drawings and narratives here all grow directly from first-hand experiences with a number of owl species, but it is only by considering them in the context of the environmental conditions owls face that they become truly meaningful.”—from the Preface, The House of Owls
Praise for In the Company of Crows and Ravens by John Marzluff and Tony Angell:
"Learning how to slow down and observe animals around us is one simple way to form a stronger bond with nature. In the Company of Crows and Ravens is a subtle and beautiful reminder of this simple truth."—Susan Salter Reynolds, Los Angeles Times Book Review
"Beautifully illustrated and produced. . . . As gripping and difficult to put down as any good work of fiction."—Alex Kacelnik, Nature
