About How Birds Fly: The Science & Art of Avian Flight

Bird flight is a mesmerizing spectacle, yet its intricacies remains largely shrouded in mystery for most. Even after over a century of study, certain aspects of bird flight continue to baffle the public and ornithologists alike.

Peter Cavanagh, a dedicated bird photographer, pilot and expert in the fields of biomechanics and anatomy, has dedicated a decade to crafting this remarkable book, How Birds Fly. Through awe-inspiring photography and conversational prose, Peter unveils the complex evolutions and physics of bird flight, making it accessible to bird lovers of all levels.

Within these pages, you'll discover the elegant mechanics behind how birds fly. Explore the evolution of flight, the roles of bones, muscles and feathers, and the crucial functions of wings, wingtips and tails. From takeoff to landing, soaring to diving, and hunting to hovering, you'll gain unprecedented insight into avian movement.

Chapters featured in this book include, but are not limited to:

  • The evolution of bird flight

  • The anatomy of birds for flight

  • The aerodynamics of bird flight

  • Takeoff and Landing

  • Gliding and Soaring

  • Flapping Flight

  • In-Flight Maneuvers

  • Migration

  • Flight Specialists (including Hummingbirds, Silent Owls, and Swifts).

But How Birds Fly is more than a scientific exploration; it's a celebration of the artistry of bird flight. Uncover the stories of flight pioneers like Leonardo da Vinci and the Wright Brothers, and how engineers still draw inspiration from birds for cutting-edge aircraft design. With this book, you can savor each chapter independently, enjoying stunning photographs and enlightening illustrations. In "From the Lab" sections, you'll dive into real research studies, gaining a taste of how ornithologists work.

Flight is a dream embedded deep within our unconscious minds. Let Peter Cavanagh's expertise and passion for flight enhance your appreciation for the world of birds.

Peter Cavanagh is a Pacific Northwest wildlife photographer and author who can usually be found pointing his lens towards flying birds. He has been taking photographs since he was a boy of five growing up in England. He was inspired and instructed by his mother who left school when she was 15 years old to coax portraits from dishes of pungent chemicals in her job as a photographer’s darkroom assistant. His own camera collection includes examples from the era of mahogany glass-plate cameras, but he feels more at home behind the long lens of a Sony Alpha 1.

Peter’s images have been frequently included in the Audubon Society’s Top Bird Photographs of the Year. His book “100 FLYING BIRDS Photographing the Mechanics of Flight” published by Firefly Books in 2021 was described as “….a marvelous, landmark contribution”. His latest book, “HOW BIRDS FLY, The Art and Science of Avian Flight”, which is in bookstores now, uses his photographs to explain many aspects of flight mechanics to an audience of people who love birds. One distinguished reviewer commented that the book “…. will change forever the way I view birds on the wing”.

Peter feels most at home in wild places and has travelled widely to all seven continents in search of interesting birds. He lectures on bird flight and bird photography and lives in the San Juan Islands of Washington State, USA.