The Hidden Lives of Owls: The Science and Spirit of Nature's Most Elusive Birds

Only about a third of this book is about owls at most; another third is about the author and another is gratuitous musings the editor (if any) neglected to excise. There are no photos or drawings of the owls or their habitats; nor, of the people or paraphernalia described in muddled detai. Each chapter has a handsome but iconic drawing of each owl that would be very nice on a calendar but don’t convey the particular spirit of the i particular owl portrayed. Finally, the writing is a slog. It you’re curious about these awesome creatures, there are much better alternatives.

Owls have a special place in our household. To begin with, we live on Owl Creek Road. Scattered throughout the house are a dozen or so figures of owls in wood, stone, and ceramic, as well as a few drawings of owls. Owls are in the neighborhood, and recently as I stepped out the back door a Screech Owl glided down no more than two feet over my head and perched in a piñon about fifteen feet away. So THE HIDDEN LIVES OF OWLS was a natural for me.When author Leigh Calvez became fascinated with owls she began taking trips to see different species, often with expert owl naturalists. Since Calvez lives in the Pacific Northwest, most of those trips took place in that region. In THE HIDDEN LIVES OF OWLS, Calvez writes about her owling missions and the birds she saw. The book is instructive for someone like me who has an affinity for owls but is not very knowledgeable about them. Serious students of owls, however, may find it rather simplistic. In addition, while Calvez touches upon some of the complicated issues relating to the prospects of long-term survival of several owl species, she does not discuss any in detail.The owls Calvez writes about are the following: Northern Saw-Whet Owls, Flammulated Owls, Snowy Owls, Northern Spotted Owls, Barred Owls, Burrowing Owls, Northern Pygmy Owls, Long-Eared and Short-Eared Owls, and Great Gray Owls.I learned a fair amount. For example, I had never read before -- or if I did, it had not stuck -- that the disk-like face of (most) owls funnels sound to their ears, which are asymmetrically placed, one higher than the other; this enables owls to better pinpoint prey in three dimensions during their nighttime hunting. (Pygmy Owls, which are daytime predators, rely on sight more than hearing, and they don't have the facial disk common to most owls.) I also learned about the asynchronous hatching practiced by most owls. They do not postpone incubation until all the eggs in the clutch are laid; instead they begin to incubate each egg immediately after it is laid, with the result that chicks in the same nest can be up to two weeks apart in age and development.I have several quibbles with the book. For my preferences, Calvez tends too much towards anthropomorphism, as if the owls she is watching think like her and have feelings like her. The book also is a tad too personal and sentimental for my taste. The writing is congenial, but at times rather mindless (for example, we are told that with life in the wild "there are no guarantees", and in describing a climb up a steep slope, Calvez writes "I slipped and slid, one step forward and two steps back" -- How, then, did she make it to the top?). Finally, I find the subtitle of the book -- "The Science and Spirit of Nature's Most Elusive Birds" -- rather fatuous. Still and all, I enjoyed the book.

I really enjoyed this book. It felt like a gentle step into the life of the woman writing it, and also into the lives of the birds that she found. I liked the personal comments she made about herself, as she worked and learned to see these birds. For those who didn't like her personal reflections, maybe the problem was in the title, referring to the science of these owls. Anyone can pick up a bird book, and read about the details of a particular bird, which this does have, but really what I liked was this woman's story as she visited and in some cases worked with some of the experts in the field. I could relate to those feelings, and enjoyed settling in and reading about the birds, and her. She did not write this as an expert, but as someone fascinated with owls, and interested in learning more, and experiencing their lives. I didn't get bored. I like the word gentle, to describe what she has created here.

An easy read but not as complete as I'd hoped. The author gives a lot of personal info- names, places, reactions and anecdotal info but leaves out many species. Primarily about Oregon, Washington ( her home on Bainbridge Island) and Alaska. A chatty saunter through the info.

This is a delightful book for anyone who loves the raptors. Naturalist Leigh Calvez describes her several adventures seeking to sight a variety of owl species in and around her home in Washington State and beyond. In some cases she tags along with the pros, helping to net and band the birds, from tiny Screech Owls to Snowy Owls and Great Greys. There are astounding facts on every page and commentary concerning species survival as ecological niches are affected by human populations. She is a bit too sentimental about her subjects, perhaps, in attributing human qualities; but that is easily forgiven in this informative and enjoyable book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. For the hiker, naturalist, bird-watcher or enthusiast, this book is a real treat. The author participates in actual owl sightings, tagging and weighing specimens with ornithologists and adds profiles of each species for beginners to learn how best to spot owls.

This is the story of a woman who became interested in the owls of the Northwest, and it's a very informative book about the owls she saw. We follow her as she joins people who go out to catch a glimpse of these birds, sometimes in terrible weather and often at night. These folks are as special a breed as the owls they study, and this book brings their world alive.

If you are interested in owls but have rarely seen them in the wild this is a great read. The author describes in detail her observations. Her tendency to ascribe human emotions (e.g. mom owl feeling pride in her chicks) seems a bit odd but I'm sure I would have done the same.

Writing style is unfortunately rather awkward, the descriptions ans narrative overrall could have been more skillfull, a lot more could have been said about this amasing species. As it is, it is more likely to be considered amateur diaries...

Although this book deal with American Owls it a very interesting read.

Interesting book. Lacks depth but accessible and interesting