Where the Birds Are
We count birds at our window birdfeeder, and many of our friends searched fields and Bay for birds as census takers in the annual nationwide Christmas Bird Count. It’s cold for birdwatching at Christmas, but the count’s held then for a special reason.
Not so long ago, Christmas was the time for a big bird hunt.
It got to be so big that, instead of killing just what their family could eat, hunters killed all that they could. Entire species were wiped out before people realized that taking everything meant that nothing would be left.
It wasn’t only for food that birds are killed. Millions of birds died for the sake of ladies’ hats.
During our birdwatching journeys at Christmas, we found a book that tells that whole story in a wonderful way …
She’s Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head!
by Kathryn Lasky • Illustrated by David Catrow
reviewed by Ariel Brumbaugh
She’s Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head! is a fun and exciting book filled with vivid pictures illustrating the humorous and amazing story of a real event in history.
This colorful book holds the reader’s enthusiasm while following a fight for birds’ rights organized by two Boston women. With comical and outrageous pictures of ugly bird-topped hats, the book recreates a time when women’s rights were few and dead birds on top of ladies’ hats were fashionable.
Harriet Hemenway and Minna Hall succeeded against all odds in stopping the killing of birds and banning that production of birdy hats. Through letters and legislation, on the streets and into hat shops, the reader is led through the story of the two women whose successful campaign created the Audubon Society.
This delightful book entertains children of all ages.
