Birds Up Close: An Engineer Explores Their Hidden Wonders

A renowned engineer and lifelong birder reveals the marvel of how birds work--from the tips of their beaks to the sheen of their tailfeathers.

With over 150 full-color illustrations, a unique gift book for everyone from the avid birder to the bird beginner.

Consider feathers: They define birds' wings, enabling flight. They insulate against cold. They repel water. They even control sound. And how feathers work is just one aspect of the wonders of birds explained by pathbreaking researcher and birder Lorna Gibson in Birds Up Close.

Feathers, bones, bills, eggs, flight: all come in for scrutiny in this engaging book. What produces the iridescence of plumage? How does the internal structure of a bird's bones make them lightweight? How do different birds use their bills and tongues--from woodpeckers penetrating the holes they drill to hummingbirds imbibing nectar, to sandpipers needling the sand, and to phalaropes drawing water droplets containing plankton into their mouths without sucking (no lips!)?

Drawing on her expertise and personal experience in both engineering and ornithology, the author explores the hidden microscopic structures and engineering principles that keep birds aloft and alive--how an egg is formed, how a bird generates lift; how raptors soar and glide, albatrosses fly thousands of miles, hummingbirds hover, puffins and penguins "fly" underwater. She also considers the longer view of birds in their habitats and natural history. Her up-close look at avian mysteries provides a perspective like no other for the expert ornithologist and curious observer alike.

Author: Lorna Gibson
Publisher: MIT Press
Published: 05/05/2026
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.95lbs
Size: 9.22h x 8.28w x 0.82d
ISBN: 9780262049894


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 01/15/2026
Booklist 03/01/2026

About the Author
Lorna J. Gibson is the Matoula S. Salapatas Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and a MacVicar Faculty Fellow at MIT. Her research interests have focused on the mechanics of materials with a cellular structure such as engineering honeycombs and foams, natural materials such as wood, leaves and bamboo, as well as medical materials for regenerating damaged tissues. A lifelong birder, Gibson is a member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Audubon Society.