One More Warbler: A Life with Birds

One of America’s foremost birders recounts his birding adventures as well as his friendships with numerous luminaries. Victor Emanuel is widely considered one of America’s leading birders. He has observed more than six thousand species during travels that have taken him to every continent. He founded the largest company in the world specializing in birding tours and one of the most respected ones in ecotourism. Emanuel has received some of birding’s highest honors, including the Roger Tory Peterson Award from the American Birding Association and the Arthur A. Allen Award from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. He also started the first birding camps for young people, which he considers one of his greatest achievements. In One More Warbler, Emanuel recalls a lifetime of birding adventures—from his childhood sighting of a male Cardinal that ignited his passion for birds to a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Asia to observe all eight species of cranes of that continent. He tells fascinating stories of meeting his mentors who taught him about birds, nature, and conservation, and later, his close circle of friends—Ted Parker, Peter Matthiessen, George Plimpton, Roger Tory Peterson, and others—who he frequently birded and traveled with around the world. Emanuel writes about the sighting of an Eskimo Curlew, thought to be extinct, on Galveston Island; setting an all-time national record during the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count; attempting to see the Imperial Woodpecker in northwestern Mexico; and birding on the far-flung island of Attu on the Aleutian chain. Over the years, Emanuel became a dedicated mentor himself, teaching hundreds of young people the joys and enrichment of birding. “Birds changed my life,” says Emanuel, and his stories make clear how a deep connection to the natural world can change everyone’s life. “Whether he is recounting his experiences with raptors in Turkey, rose-ringed parakeets in India, or black-and-white owls in Panama, Emanuel’s love of the natural world is always on display. A charming narrative for avid birders and armchair nature lovers, sure to inspire at least a few flights of fancy.” —Kirkus Reviews “Victor Emanuel is a remarkable man who found his mentors in birding and went on to become a leader in that community for the past fifty years. In One More Warbler, Victor shares his wide-ranging adventures across the globe, including the story of his enormously influential ecotourism company, and the reasons why he become a mentor himself to whole generations of young ornithologists. It’s a fascinating read.” —Kenn Kaufman, author of Kingbird Highway “This book is classic Victor: a tapestry of anecdotes, adventures, philosophical musings, and tributes to people, all woven together by glowing words of admiration for the rich diversity of birds that grace our lives, and define his.” —John Fitzpatrick, Director, Cornell Lab of Ornithology