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  • When There Were Birds

  • The forgotten history of our connections
  • By: Roy Adkins, Lesley Adkins
  • Narrated by: John Telfer
  • Length: 14 hrs and 44 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (2 ratings)

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When There Were Birds cover art

When There Were Birds

By: Roy Adkins, Lesley Adkins
Narrated by: John Telfer
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Summary

A landmark book that charts humanity's changing relationship with birds—from the ancient Egyptians to the twenty-first century

No other group of animals has had such a complex and lengthy relationship with humankind as birds. They have been kept in cages as pets, taught to speak and displayed as trophies. More practically, they have been used to tell the time, predict the weather, foretell marriages, provide unlikely cures for ailments, convey messages and warn of poisonous gases.

When There Were Birds is a social history of Britain that charts the complex connections between people and birds, set against a background of changes in the landscape and evolving tastes, beliefs and behaviours. It draws together many disparate, forgotten strands to present a story that is an intriguing and unexpectedly significant part of our heritage.
©2022 Roy and Lesley Adkins (P)2021 Hachette Audio UK
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
Great Britain Animals
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Critic reviews

"A marvellously original slice of social history." (Daily Mail, Book of the Week)

"The facts and folklore of birdlife, and man's equivocal relationship with birds, are dissected in admirable detail in this handsome new book." (Sunday Times)

What listeners say about When There Were Birds

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Recommended for all bird lovers

A comprehensive social history of the role of birds in British culture. Exhaustively researched. Recommended for all bird lovers.

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