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The Grail Bird : Hot on the Trail of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker by Tim Gallagher (2005, Hardcover)

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What is it about the ivory-billed woodpecker? Why does this ghost of the southern swamps arouse such an obsessive level of passion in its devotees, who range from respected researchers to the flakiest Loch Ness monster fanatics and Elvis chasers? Since the early twentieth century, scientists have been trying their best to prove that the ivory-bill is extinct. But every time they think they've finally closed the door, the bird makes an unexpected appearance. It happened in the 1920s, and it's happened in almost every subsequent decade. For more than 60 years, each sighting has been met with ridicule and scorn. Respected researchers and naturalists have been branded as quacks just for having the temerity to say that the ivory-bill still exists. Yet the reports still trickle in. Is there any truth to these sightings, or are they just a case of wishful thinking, misidentification, or outright fabrication? To unravel the mystery, author Tim Gallagher heads south, deep into the eerie swamps and bayous of the vast Mississippi Delta, searching for people who claim to have seen this rarest of birds and following up--sometimes more than 30 years after the fact--on their sightings. He meets a colorful array of characters: a cigar-chomping ex-boxer who took two controversial pictures of an alleged ivory-bill in 1971; a former corporate lawyer who abandoned her career to search for ivory-bills full time; two men who grew up in the ivory-bill's last known stronghold in a final remnant of primeval forest in Louisiana. With his buddy Bobby Harrison, a true son of the South from Alabama, Gallagher hits the swamps, wading through hip-deep, boot-sucking mud and canoeing through turgid, mud brown bayous where deadly cottonmouth water moccasins abound. In most cases, they are clearly decades too late. But when the two speak to an Arkansas backwoods kayaker who saw a mystery woodpecker the week before and has a description of the bird that is too good to be a fantasy, the hunt is on. Their Eureka moment comes a few days later as a huge woodpecker flies in front of their canoe, and they both cry out, "Ivory-bill!" This sighting--the first time since 1944 that two qualified observers positively identify an ivory-billed woodpecker in the United States--quickly leads to the largest search ever launched to find a rare bird, as researchers fan out across the bayou, hoping to document the existence of this most iconic of birds.

Product Identifiers

Publisher
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
ISBN-10
0618456937
ISBN-13
9780618456932
eBay Product ID (ePID)
44116905

Product Key Features

Book Title
Grail Bird : Hot on the Trail of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker
Author
Tim Gallagher
Format
Hardcover
Language
English
Topic
Birdwatching Guides, Animals / Birds
Publication Year
2005
Genre
Nature
Number of Pages
288 Pages

Dimensions

Item Length
8.2in
Item Height
0.8in
Item Width
5.5in
Item Weight
15.5 Oz

Additional Product Features

Lc Classification Number
Ql696.P56g35 2005
Reviews
...An edge-of-your-seat ride into the hardwood swamps of the South that drips flavor like syrup on a mess of grits., "The GRAIL BIRD is an enjoyable read ...a powerful call for conservation, and an exciting bird adventure" Boston Globe "The GRAIL BIRD is less an ecological study than a portrait of human obsession. The New York Times "[The GRAIL BIRD is] also, unqualifiedly, a fine book...Gallagher honors the Lord God Bird." Charlotte Observer "A fascinating account...the reader never feels talked down to or left out of the adventure." Orlando Sentinel "Gallagher's text is straight from the swamp: anything but dry." Dallas Morning News "...An edge-of-your-seat ride into the hardwood swamps of the South that drips flavor like syrup on a mess of grits." Cleveland Plain Dealer "Gallagher is not only a careful scientist and researcher, but a thoughtful and sensitive writer who clearly loves his subject." Tampa Tribune "An engaging story and a triumph of conservation, highly recommended for most collections." Library Journal, "The GRAIL BIRD is an enjoyable read …a powerful call for conservation, and an exciting bird adventure" Boston Globe The GRAIL BIRD is less an ecological study than a portrait of human obsession." The New York Times "[The GRAIL BIRD is] also, unqualifiedly, a fine book…Gallagher honors the Lord God Bird." Charlotte Observer "A fascinating account…the reader never feels talked down to or left out of the adventure." Orlando Sentinel "Gallagher's text is straight from the swamp: anything but dry." Dallas Morning News "...An edge-of-your-seat ride into the hardwood swamps of the South that drips flavor like syrup on a mess of grits." Cleveland Plain Dealer "Gallagher is not only a careful scientist and researcher, but a thoughtful and sensitive writer who clearly loves his subject." Tampa Tribune "An engaging story and a triumph of conservation, highly recommended for most collections." Library Journal, "The GRAIL BIRD is an enjoyable read ...a powerful call for conservation, and an exciting bird adventure" Boston Globe "The GRAIL BIRD is less an ecological study than a portrait of human obsession." The New York Times "[The GRAIL BIRD is] also, unqualifiedly, a fine book...Gallagher honors the Lord God Bird." Charlotte Observer "A fascinating account...the reader never feels talked down to or left out of the adventure." Orlando Sentinel "Gallagher's text is straight from the swamp: anything but dry." Dallas Morning News "...An edge-of-your-seat ride into the hardwood swamps of the South that drips flavor like syrup on a mess of grits." Cleveland Plain Dealer "Gallagher is not only a careful scientist and researcher, but a thoughtful and sensitive writer who clearly loves his subject." Tampa Tribune "An engaging story and a triumph of conservation, highly recommended for most collections." Library Journal, Gallagher is not only a careful scientist and researcher, but a thoughtful and sensitive writer who clearly loves his subject., "The GRAIL BIRD is an enjoyable read ...a powerful call for conservation, and an exciting bird adventure" Boston Globe "The GRAIL BIRD is less an ecological study than a portrait of human obsession.e The New York Times "[The GRAIL BIRD is] also, unqualifiedly, a fine book...Gallagher honors the Lord God Bird." Charlotte Observer "A fascinating account...the reader never feels talked down to or left out of the adventure." Orlando Sentinel "Gallagher's text is straight from the swamp: anything but dry." Dallas Morning News "...An edge-of-your-seat ride into the hardwood swamps of the South that drips flavor like syrup on a mess of grits." Cleveland Plain Dealer "Gallagher is not only a careful scientist and researcher, but a thoughtful and sensitive writer who clearly loves his subject." Tampa Tribune "An engaging story and a triumph of conservation, highly recommended for most collections." Library Journal, The GRAIL BIRD is an enjoyable read hellip;a powerful call for conservation, and an exciting bird adventure
Table of Content
CONTENTS Preface xiii 1. Of People and Peckerwoods 1 2. Me and Bobby Ray 28 3. Jim and Nancy 37 4. Mary, Mary 54 5. White River Revisited 66 6. A Paradise on Earth 85 7. The Boxer 100 8. The LSU Connection 115 9. The Land of Dead Giants 134 10. A Bayou with a View 145 11. The Third Degree 161 12. Back to the Bayou 168 13. Where Sapsuckers Dare 188 14. Trying to Prove the Existence of a Ghost 205 15. Swamp Rats 219 16. The Lazarus Bird 235 Epilogue 241 Acknowledgments and Sources 251 Index 259
Copyright Date
2005
Target Audience
Trade
Lccn
2005-042792
Dewey Decimal
598.7/2
Dewey Edition
22
Illustrated
Yes

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4.8

4.8 out of 5 stars based on 5 product ratings

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Would recommend

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Most relevant reviews

5 out of 5 stars
by ladyduibheasaDec 04, 2007
Rediscovering the Ivory-Bill Woodpecker
This story is a first hand account of two men's hunt for a myth. It is told with a great deal of humor and realism. From the frustrating un-substantiated glimpses to the victory of finaly having good documentation of the existance of this beautiful creature, thought to be extinct for so many years. Along with the story of the hunt, the author includes some soul-searching questions about mans treatment of the environment. Much of the ivory-bill's habitat was decimated decades ago by lumber companies. What can be done to restore the habitat? Several organizations, including the Nature Conservancy are now working together to do just that. I actually bought this book after having first read it from the library. My husband and I enjoyed it so much that we decided to purchase several for Christmas presents for our nature loving friends.Read full review
4 out of 5 stars
by avainographerFeb 11, 2022
Worth a Read!
There are several books out about the legendary ivory-billed woodpecker. They all are good, but in their own way, each is very different. Gallagher’s is an adventurous romp that takes you along for the ride. Along the way we meet many of the people and places that are part of Ghost Bird’s myths! Worth a read!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
5 out of 5 stars
by al_lobbApr 08, 2023
Verry fitting!
Well written book and the subject, the Ivory-billed woodpecker is one which holds a lot of interest for me. Thanks!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
5 out of 5 stars
by share_heartMar 17, 2021
Great book, would buy again.
Perfect for the bird lover in your life.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned

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The Grail Bird : Hot on the Trail of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker by Tim Gallagher (2005, Hardcover)

About this product

Product Information

Product Identifiers

Product Key Features

Dimensions

Additional Product Features

All listings for this product

Ratings and Reviews

Most relevant reviews

Rediscovering the Ivory-Bill Woodpecker

Worth a Read!

Verry fitting!

Great book, would buy again.

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