The Social Lives of Birds

Birds, like most of us, are social creatures. In groups they can do things they’d never be able to do alone. Be that evading predators or raising young, together birds collaborate, cooperate and connect. But every group has its conflicts, and living together can come with a cost. Competing for food, mates and nests, life in a group can be hard and sometimes dangerous. From nest hijacking and thievery to seduction, dancing and secret relationships, ‘The Social Lives of Birds’ discovers the various ways birds socialise. Revealing the different types of bird groups and the ornithologists who study them, professor of biology and birder Joan E. Strassmann combines the latest research on and her own experiences of birds navigating social dilemmas.