Feather Trails

“I cannot put Feather Trails down. The book flies, and gracefully. It is timely, important, and applies widely. It reaches wide, and I hope it will be widely read. All Sophie says is true and can and should also be said.”

—Bernd Heinrich, biologist; professor emeritus, University of Vermont; author of numerous books on the natural world

“Feather Trails takes you behind the front lines of conservation to experience the daily rigor and reward of a field biologist. Osborn guides you through forests and canyons to the haunts where our most endangered birds eat, sleep, and breed. As she works to understand and restore their populations, her splendid recounting explores the science of birds and their conservation, reveals the challenges a young technician must overcome, and inspires care for the rarest creatures among us.”

—John M. Marzluff, professor of wildlife science, University of Washington; author of Gifts of the Crow, Welcome to Subirdia, and In Search of Meadowlarks

“Field biologists are my heroes. Sophie Osborn is one of the main reasons why. Her fieldwork, like her writing, does more than draw attention to the plight of sacred species like the California Condor, the Peregrine Falcon, and the Hawaiian Crow. It also shows us how and why those creatures can be saved.”

—John Nielsen, former National Public Radio environmental correspondent

“Few biologists have had Sophie Osborn’s front-row seat to the challenges and triumphs of saving critically endangered birds. In Feather Trails, Osborn does more than take us deep inside her decades of work to bring Peregrine Falcons, Hawaiian Crows, and California Condors back from the brink. By immersing us in the lives of these birds, we see them as she sees them—unique individuals whose successes and tragedies become our own. I can’t recommend it highly enough.”

—Scott Weidensaul, author of A World on the Wing

“Sophie’s dedication to conservation and love of birds and the environment shine through the pages of this book.”

—David Lindo, author of The Urban Birder

“Sophie Osborn’s book, Feather Trails, is an inspiring example of how community recognition, public policy, and individual passion can revitalize endangered species. Her writing is engaging, and her tales from the field are an entertaining and educational read for anyone interested in birds, conservation, or natural history.”

—Dorian Anderson, author of Birding Under the Influence

“Through the adventures of a spirited field biologist, we are awakened to the plight of imperiled birds. This is a story of tenacity, the power of the Endangered Species Act, and ultimately of hope for bringing back birds from the brink of extinction.”

—Marina Richie, author of Halcyon Journey, 2024 recipient of the John Burroughs Medal for distinguished nature writing

"A personal tale and a meticulously researched environmental history of modern America."—Mark Cocker for The Spectator

"[This book] deserves to be read widely, because it is only in coming to understand these animals, suggests Osborn, that we can choose to love and help them."—New Scientist