"Passionate, inviting, even lyrical. Barnes provides a companionable view of why we love birds, their lives, and futures."

– New York Times Book Review

"Barnes infuses this playful, conversational exploration of the relationship of birds to humanity with a sense of well-informed wonder. He demonstrates patient attention to the world around him, combining thoughtful scholarship with a skill for conveying particulars in accessible language. A generous volume."

– Publishers Weekly (starred)

"Glowing praise for birds from the prolific nature writer and novelist, who is filled with great affection and admiration for our feathered friends. The core message of this delightful book will appeal to birders everywhere."

– Kirkus Reviews

"A celebration, an exploration, and an exhibition. A cornucopia of facts, ruminations and appreciations—beautifully illustrated with multiple line drawings—The Meaning of Birds educates, entertains, and sends hearts soaring as Barnes shares his knowledge of and devotion to his subject, his eloquence and his wisdom."

– Richmond Times-Dispatch

"Barnes' fascinating with the avian world is at the heart of this book, a passion shared through engaging, often lively and always conversational text."

– BBC Wildlife

"[Barnes’s] premise is that people need birds, and if we pay attention to them, they can help us understand the world we share. Illustrated with stunning black-and-white illustrations."

– Birdwatching

"A wise and witty celebration of birds."

– The Countryman

"An eclectic and often witty volume that aims to show how birds live their lives and in doing so, how they've touched on ours."

– BBC Countryfile

"A celebration of birds and how they help us understand the world we live in."

– Nature's Home

"Barnes explores our fascination with birds and the importance they have played in our understanding of the world, from Darwin’s finches to the intercontinental migration of birds."

– Book Riot (50 Must-Read Nature Books)