Bird City

“With a reporter’s knack for accuracy and a storyteller’s flair for what’s fun, Ryan Goldberg gives us a four-season birder’s-eye view of the Big Apple—with insights on what makes feathered pursuits so special in any city.”—Christian Cooper, author of Better Living Through Birding

"Did the founders of New York know that they were building a city in the shadow of one of the most important bird super-highways on the planet? Goldberg gives us that rare and precious thing: a totally new perspective on familiar places. This book will change how you see your neighborhood and all the wonderful creatures that live there too."—Ben Rawlence, author of The Treeline

“Bird City is a fascinating look at the people who see New York not as a city, but as an ecosystem. Ryan Goldberg's curiosity about the city's birds and the birders who track them offer an illuminating glimpse into the value of urban birding in the twenty-first century.”—Amy Stewart, New York Times-bestselling author of The Drunken Botanist and Wicked Plants

"Bird City is one of the best books I've ever read about the birds of a special place, and the people who pay attention to them. It's written with such verve and insight that it will appeal to readers far beyond the limits of New York."—Kenn Kaufman, author of The Birds That Audubon Missed

"Bird City is a wild romp through a surprisingly wild city. It's everything a good nature book should be: enlightening and surprising, quirky and sombre, rooted in history, with a cast of curious characters, both human and avian. You'll never look at NYC the same way again—and you'll find yourself rushing out to buy a pair of binoculars and join in the fun."—Rosemary Mosco, author of A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching

"Goldberg’s experience as a journalist stands out. He succinctly and expertly renders the colorful birds and birders he comes across, [making] this an enjoyable read for anyone looking to learn about urban birding. An informative read for any birder, and a must-read for New York City ones."—Kirkus

"An uplifting and hopeful tribute to avian resilience and adaptability, as well as a love letter to a community of disparate birders whose cooperation and tireless efforts have enacted positive changes to protect the creatures they admire. Goldberg’s enthusiasm for birds will inspire many readers to pick up their binoculars and head outside, both in New York City and beyond."—Library Journal (starred review)

"Journalist and birder Goldberg debuts with a vivid account of New York City’s vast and diverse bird population . . . New Yorkers will be awed to learn of the wildlife that surrounds them."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Accessibly written yet rigorously reported, Bird City beautifully blends science and wonder. Many will raise their binoculars to Goldberg."—Booklist

“In a sense, we are all New Yorkers. Through television and movies we have all seen the icons of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Empire State and Chrysler buildings, and Lincoln Center. Bird City can change our consciousness of the metropolis, softening the hard edges of concrete and steel. The city that never sleeps becomes a place with falcons and nesting sites. And I can imagine a lot of non-New Yorkers reading this book and developing an appreciation for the birds, open spaces, and wildlife within their own cities.”—The Green Dispatch

"Ryan Goldberg’s Bird City is essential reading for anyone who wants to discover what makes the five boroughs so hospitable to feathered migrants . . . If the book has a paramount message for New Yorkers, it’s this: stop, look up, and prepare to be amazed."—Air Mail

"Bird City is an accessible story about birding that even nonbirders can appreciate, thanks to Goldberg’s relaxed, conversational approach . . . Whether you’re a city dweller or not, Goldberg provides inspiration for how to move birding beyond a chase for the next bird to a powerful way to make sure wildlife and humans can coexist in our increasingly urbanized world."—American Scientist

“This is one of those books that reminds me that nature is a trespasser. Weeds invade. Insects intrude. Rodents transgress. Birds migrate…Bird City is a testament to the astonishing diversity (more than 350 species annually) and resilience of our planet’s feathered denizens in a place shaped overwhelmingly by humans… humorous and quirky, poignant and sobering.”—Ken Lamberton