The Wind Masters: The Lives of North American Birds of Prey Paperback – March 1, 2003

"The Wind Masters" : the Lives of North American Birds of Prey" by Pete Dunne (Houghton Mifflin Books 1995)Genetic researchers at the Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology have not yet proven that Pete Dunne is a direct descendent of Arthur Cleveland Bent, Mark Twain and Aesop (of Fables fame). But even a quick and cursory examination of Dunne's writings, especially "The Wind Masters" will leave little room for doubt.The warmth, richness and earnestness of Bent can be found in these pages. The wit and imaginative mindset of Twain is here ("imaginative" being an English translation of the Iroquois term "catawampus"). Also abundantly present is Aesop's deft ability to homespin good information into easy, entertaining tales - Dunne's modus operandi ("modus operandi" being the Iroquois translation of the English term "schtick"). Combine all that with Mr. Dunne's vast knowledge of feathered things and his especial fondness for birds of prey and the result is a book that will be read, reread and enjoyed by any avian aficionado ("aficionado" being the Spanish translation of the Iroquois term "nutcase"),Mr. Dunne's introduction to the book puts the reader in the proper frame of mind for what follows, and "what follows" is a delightful collection of brief "neo-parables" that display not only Mr. Dunne's considerable talent as a writer and story-teller, but a lot of fascinating and accurate information about the lifeways of North America's birds of prey.

Very informative, and a novel idea to have characteristics of these fabulous birds revealed in short stories. Sometimes, however, the anthropomorphic aspect is something of a put-off--too unreal. Beyond that small quibble, Mr. Dunne's book is a painless way to learn about some amazing birds.

I am thoroughly enjoying this book! Each evening I read one of the stories as a bedtime story, I'm savoring it. It's an interesting approach to learning about raptors. Yes, it anthropomorphizes the raptors, but that's just a means to an end, and I'm enjoying those means very much. This one is a keeper and I know I'll be re-reading the short stories many times over.

Extraordinary book! Totally different from other studies of raptors, the author uses fiction to present fact, and it works surprisingly well in a fast-reading narrative that pulls no punches. I found myself unable to put the book down, and what I learned here inspired me to seek out more Pete Dunne, who clearly knows his subject.

This is a wonderful book if you like raptors or just birds in general. Even after watching hawks for 35 years, I learned much from each bird's fictional life. Pete did a masterful job in this volume. His research into habitat and behavior for each species is illuminating.

Thirty-three birds of prey - one to a chapter - star in this book that is a blend of natural history, fast-paced adventure, and reflections on life and death. In "The Wind Masters," Pete Dunne introduces each of North America's diurnal raptors by telling a story in the life of an individual bird (from the author's imagination, of course, but biologically accurate). So vivid are these introductions that they will not soon be forgotten.I was shocked by the gruesome, painful details described in some of the stories. Many do not have happy endings. A sharp-shinned hawk, pursuing a sparrow, slams into a glass window, and the chapter ends with her on the verge of succumbing to a brain haemorrhage. A young osprey sinks her talons into a huge fish that pulls her under the water to her death. A golden eagle slowly succumbs to lead poisoning, struggling to eat but finding her digestive system paralyzed, and choking as her stomach fills with rotten food.But, the lives of raptors abound in exhilarating moments too, and it is these upon which Dunne focuses most of all. An arctic Gyrfalcon searches the moonlit landscape to find his mate who, he knows by instinct, has just returned from migration. A common black-hawk hunts in a stream by dangling her wing-tip in the water, attracting fish who think it is a struggling insect. A peregrine falcon successfully defends her nest from a marauding wolverine. And a group of broad-winged hawks ride thermals to travel over two hundred miles without a flapping a wing. Dunne highlights the adaptations of each raptor that make it perfectly suited to its life in the air, hence the title "The Wind Masters."The woodcuts by David Allen Sibley are superb. Each chapter contains a head portrait of the bird on the title page, as well as a full-page illustration of the bird in its habitat later in the chapter. That's 66 illustrations in all!I greatly enjoyed this book, and its striking images will stay with me for a long time. The only reason I withheld the fifth star is that I found some elements of the writing a bit awkward in places - such as anthropomorphism that felt strained, or long parenthetical facts that interrupted the flow of the story. Overall, though, Dunne has succeeded admirably at blending biological detail with fast-paced narrative. This is a unique and beautiful book that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys natural history.

Thank you my book came to day 10-01-15 ,, Wow the seller did agreat job the book is just about new,, I am going to enjoy reading this,,A wonderful job, this book is about Birds of Prey, and is indeed the Wind Masters of these beautiful birds in flight.

What a different idea for a wildlife book--the author makes each bird "think" and tell us through its thoughts what is happening. Very interesting