Where: Zoom Presentation (map)
Description: Winter Lecture (Zoom presentation)
What an Owl Knows
Guest Speaker: Jennifer Ackerman
Wednesday, January 18, 2024 at 7 p.m
For millennia, owls have captivated and intrigued us. Our fascination with these mysterious birds was first documented more than 30,000 years ago in the Chauvet Cave paintings in southern France. With their forward gaze and quiet flight, owls are often a symbol of wisdom, knowledge, and foresight. But what does an owl really know? And what do we really know about owls? Scientists have only recently begun to understand in deep detail the complex nature of these extraordinary birds. Some 260 species of owls exist today, and they reside on every continent except Antarctica, but they are far more difficult to find and study than other birds because they are cryptic, camouflaged, and mostly active in the dark of night. Join Jennifer Ackerman in a multimedia presentation on what we have learned lately about the nature of the world’s most enigmatic birds.In remarkable photos, videos, and audio recordings, Jennifer explores the rich biology and natural history of owls and examines remarkable new scientific discoveries about their brains and behavior.
Jennifer Ackerman has been a bird lover since she was a child and has been writing about nature and science for more than three decades. Her latest book, What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds (PenguinPress, June 2023), was an instant New York Times bestseller and has been described in reviews as “eloquent and engaging”, “revelatory”, a “fascinating read”, “a masterful survey”, and an “enchanting guide.” Jennifer’s previous books includeThe Bird Way, a finalist for the PEN/E.O.Wilson Literary Science Writing Award and named a Best Science Book of 2020 by National Public Radio's "Science Friday", and The Genius of Birds, also a New York Times bestseller, which has been published in 25 languages. The Genius of Birds was named one of the ten best non-fiction books of 2016 by The Wall StreetJournal and a Nature Book of the Year by the London Sunday Times. Ackerman’s other books include Birds by the Shore, Chance in the House of Fate: A Natural History of Heredity, and Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body. Her articles and essays have appeared in National Geographic, The NewYork Times, Scientific American, and many other publications.
She has two daughters and lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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