Len HOWARD : Birds as individuals

Brief onlook found on Wikipedia :

"Once resident in Bird Cottage, Howard developed an intimate, cohabitational relationship with the wild birds in the area, providing food (including her own war rations), chasing away predators, tending to damaged nests and allowing the birds to fly and roost throughout her home. Around 1949, Howard began publishing her field notes and "bird biographies" in British natural history periodicals, and in 1950 her first book was published by Collins Press. Howard continued to write and publish about her birds until at least 1957.

Believing that fear is the primary motivating factor in much of avian behaviour as observed by humans, and wanting to combat the scientific conclusions that had been drawn from such observations, Howard strove to effect great control over her and her birds' environment so as to maximize her birds' sense of security, and to encourage an uninhibited relationship with them. To this end, Howard was reclusive and gave strict instructions to those who ventured to visit her or contact her at Bird Cottage.

Howard also undertook a public campaign in 1960 to prevent development on the land surrounding her property. In her writings, Howard argued that individual intelligence, and not mere instinct, is a factor in much of bird behaviour. Howard paid especial attention to great tits in her studies, although she also wrote about other tits, robins, sparrows, blackbirds, thrushes, and finches, among others, and singled out particularly striking individuals for her biographies.

First of all, if you like birds, play the video and read this review while listening to the songs of the great tit :)

Earlier this year, I read Bird cottage by Eva Meijer (which I highly recommend) and learned about the existence of Len Howard, ex-musician and bird lover. I loved the novel so much that I tried to buy one of Len Howard's own books, but it was hard : they're either out of print or very expensive. I somehow managed to lay my hands on an affordable 1953 French illustrated edition that had belonged to a library, binded, and, to my delight, complete with lending and cataloging cards (librarian here) ! I'm not a bibliophile but whenever I can buy old editions, that makes me happy.

Now about the content : Len Howard used to live with birds in her garden, in her house, sometimes on her bed ! When she was sick, they would keep her company. They learned to know and trust her, would fly on her shoulders, her hand, recognize her when she took a walk in the country even when she dressed differently. She had ample opportunity to study them and write notes which she shared in this book, along with her pictures. And it musn't have been easy, because the tits loved to play with her typewriter while she was using it !

She wrote mostly about tits, but not only. The biggest part of the book describes, or I should say portrays, several birds, their interactions, their territorial fights, their nesting, their attitude towards Len, their losses and mournings. The later part, smaller, describes their songs in a rather technical language - but then, she used to be a musician.

Those portraits are fantastic, birds have very specific personalities, just like human, not just traits due to their species. They can be intelligent, tenacious, curious, overworked (mothers), belligerent, stupid, they can help each other, play and so many other things ! She gave them names, recognized them, followed them along their lives, it was so interesting and captivating !

When she mentioned tits playing on her pillow, gliding, it made me think of this video :

This book is so easy to read ! And it's so engaging ! I read it in a day, smiling to myself as I learned more about birds and when I reached the musical part, I read it while playing bird songs on my telephone so that I could listen to what she was talking about. It's a wonderful read that I highly recommend... ifever you can find the book...