THE BIRD WAY: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think was published by Penguin Press in spring of 2020. Order the book here.

Jennifer offers multimedia presentations on The Bird Way and The Genius of Birds for virtual events and in person. See Talks page for more information. And please take a look at her Instagram: @jenniferackermanauthor and Twitter: @JenGAckerman

Awards and accolades for The Bird Way:

  • Selected as “A Nature Book of the Year” by the London Sunday Times

  • “Editor’s Selection” by the The New York Times

  • Barnes & Noble pick for “Best Nature & Wildlife Books of 2020"

  • Selected by NPR’s “Science Friday” as one of “The Best Summer Science Books of 2020”: “Ackerman brings scientific research alive with personal observations of colorful and fascinating birds, from the kea parrot to the raven to the brush turkey, among others. By showing how each species communicates, plays, parents, works, and thinks, she reminds us that there is no one way to be a bird.”

  • Washington Post pick for Top Ten Books of May

  • Barnes & Noble pick for “Best Nature & Wildlife Books of 2020"

  • Semi-finalist for the Goodreads Choice Awards (in Science/Tech).

“An enthralling study of the avian world.” “A celebration of the dizzying variety of bird life and behavior, one that will enthrall birders and non-birders alike….a book full of wonders large and small.” Full review here: The Guardian

“Splendid and spellbinding.” “This apt sequel to her best-selling The Genius of Birds (2016) showcases new science that is transforming our understanding of what it means to be a bird… The Bird Way shows us a new way to view birds, yes—but perhaps even better, through their eyes, intellect, and more-than-human senses, it lets birds reveal to us the hidden realities of our shared world.” —Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus, in the American Scholar

"After reading Ackerman ('The Genius of Birds'), you may listen harder to the various chirps, cheeps and coos coming from your backyard. Her new book reminds us that we have a lot in common with birds — like us, they are capable of deception and manipulation, not to mention cooperation, culture and communication." ---The Washington Post, which recommended the book as a top 10 book for May

“[Ackerman’s] exhilarating book will leave you as awestruck by the complexities and contradictions of bird life as she is.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“An erudite study of what birds can do, from starting fires to learning languages“—The Telegraph

“In The Bird Way, Jennifer Ackerman digs deeper and ranges farther into bird behavior, pulling tasty stories out of rich ground as she hops across the continents [ . . . ] Like a bowerbird, Ms. Ackerman gathers and displays treasures to amaze and delight—then lets the scientists’ stories take center stage [. . .] Refreshingly, Ackerman spotlights a number of female researchers.” — Wall Street Journal

"From tales of dazzling plumage to anecdotes about almost unfathomable mimicry, Jennifer Ackerman’s The Bird Way is a walk through the mysteries, wonders, and peculiarities of the avian world [. . . ] Ackerman’s excitement and love for it are evident in her writing. Her superb storytelling paints a rich picture that engages the reader’s imagination, making sometimes-hard-to-grasp research accessible."- Science Magazine

 “Ackerman’s vibrant writing ensures that all things bird are thoroughly compelling and enjoyable.” —Booklist, starred review

 “Ackerman reminds readers that birds are thinking beings . . . She brings scientific research alive with personal field observations and accounts of her encounters with colorful and fascinating birds . . . [The Bird Way] will engage all readers interested in learning more about birds and natural history.” —Library Journal, starred review

"A brightly original book . . . Ackerman is a smooth writer; her presentation of ideas is deft, and her anecdotes are consistently engaging . . . [She] demonstrates bird science as an evolving discipline that is consistently fascinating, and she offers brilliant discussions of the use of smell, long overlooked but indeed deployed for navigation; courtship signals; predator avoidance, and, not surprisingly, locating food. “ —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

JENNIFER ACKERMAN is a New York Times bestselling author who has been writing about science, nature, and human biology for more than three decades. She is the author of eight books. Her new book, The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think, was published in spring of 2020 by Penguin Press. Her previous book, The Genius of Birds (Penguin Press, 2016; paperback, 2017) is described by Scientific American as “a lyrical testimony to the wonders of avian intelligence,” and by The Wall Street Journal “a gloriously provocative and highly entertaining book.” The Genius of Birds was named one of the 10 best nonfiction books of 2016 by The Wall Street Journal, a Best Science Book or 2016 by National Public Radio’s “Science Friday”, and Nature Book of the Year by the London Sunday Times. It is published in more than 20 languages. To listen to a podcast on The Genius of Birds, created by the Aspen Ideas Festival in June 2018, click here.

The revised and reissued edition of Jennifer’s first book, about the natural life of the mid-Atlantic coast, was published in 2019 under the title Birds by the Shore. Jennifer’s previous books include Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body (Houghton Mifflin), Ah-Choo: The Uncommon Life of Your Common Cold (Twelve), and Chance in the House of Fate: A Natural History of Heredity (Houghton Mifflin). She has contributed articles and essays to National Geographic, The New York Times Magazine, Scientific American, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. She is the recipient of a Literature Fellowship in Nonfiction from the National Endowment for the Arts, a Bunting Institute fellowship from Radcliffe College, and a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.