Named one of Forbes 12 Best Books About Birds (2018) "An illuminating trek through the people and encounters that led to some of the most unique names in the animal kingdom." --Buzzfeed "This linguistic romp through ornithology, natural history writing, and scientific discovery is enlivened by Moss' tales of searching for some of the species he writes of." --STARRED Booklist Review "Through lively prose and numerous examples, Moss shows that the origin of bird names is fascinating and not always entirely clear, also offering insight into the way humans use language. VERDICT This work will appeal to a wide range of readers, including those interested in science, history, and/or linguistics." --Library Journal "Like any good bird-names book it demolishes a few false etymologies - my favorite is the one that assigns the term Isabelline to the color of a queen's dirty underpants - and introduces some true ones that seem stranger than fiction. A good fun read for bird nerds and word nerds alike." --10,000 Birds "This fun book explores the overlap between ornithology, linguistics and history. " --Forbes "Certain to interest scientific readers and general audiences alike.

" --Publishers Weekly.