Description

Book Synopsis
Kingfishers are a sight to behold. The dash and verve of this cosmopolitan bird has been admired for millennia, appearing in creation myths, imperial regalia and cultural iconography, and they were once valued as highly as gold. Artists used their iridescent feathers in Tian-tsui, an iconic style of Chinese fine art, for more than 2,400 years. The magnificent temples at Angkor Wat in Cambodia owe their existence in part to the great wealth generated by the live kingfisher trade from the Indochina Peninsula. As a muse, kingfishers have influenced philosophers, playwrights and artists, from the Roman poet Ovid to Carl Jung, Charles Darwin and others, while more recently bio-mimicry engineers have turned to kingfishers for inspiration. This beautifully illustrated book delves into the origins and diversity of the more than 120 species of kingfishers, from the burly kookaburras to the diminutive birds that daringly pluck spiders off webs, defining their characteristics, their differences, their lifestyles and their cultural significance around the world.

Kingfisher

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    A Paperback / softback by Ildiko Szabo

    £12.56

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    RRP £13.95 – you save £1.39 (9%)

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      Book details

      Publisher Reaktion Books
      Published 16 September 2019
      ISBN-13 9781789141399
      978-1789141399
      ISBN-10 1789141397
      Also in:
      Natural History Wildlife: birds and birdwatching: general interest Animals and society

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      Kingfishers are a sight to behold. The dash and verve of this cosmopolitan bird has been admired for millennia, appearing in creation myths, imperial regalia and cultural iconography, and they were once valued as highly as gold. Artists used their iridescent feathers in Tian-tsui, an iconic style of Chinese fine art, for more than 2,400 years. The magnificent temples at Angkor Wat in Cambodia owe their existence in part to the great wealth generated by the live kingfisher trade from the Indochina Peninsula. As a muse, kingfishers have influenced philosophers, playwrights and artists, from the Roman poet Ovid to Carl Jung, Charles Darwin and others, while more recently bio-mimicry engineers have turned to kingfishers for inspiration. This beautifully illustrated book delves into the origins and diversity of the more than 120 species of kingfishers, from the burly kookaburras to the diminutive birds that daringly pluck spiders off webs, defining their characteristics, their differences, their lifestyles and their cultural significance around the world.

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