Read stories about how green herons make and use fishing lures; the charm of turkey buzzards; the return of bald eagles, peregrines and pelicans; and flocks of blackbirds that stretch for miles. Travel to remote wetlands with citizen scientists and fly with researchers counting thousands of waterfowl.

The birds of the Mississippi River and the Driftless Area provide an endless source of fascinating stories. Birds contains the best bird stories from two decades of Big River Magazine. Reading these stories is just half the fun, because they’ll make you want to get outside and join the action.

Contributors to the Big River bird anthology include paleontologists, doctors, naturalists, writers, and avian rehabilitation professionals, all of whom are bird lovers. All photos are supplied by Alan Stankevitz.