‘BirdNote’ Answers All Your Questions About Our Avian Friends
The new book from Ellen Blackstone and Emily Poole follows the NPR segment of the same name
By Gwendolyn Elliott March 9, 2018
This article originally appeared in the March 2018 issue of Seattle magazine.
This article appears in print in the March 2018 issue. Click here to subscribe.
Have you ever wondered what that little red dot on a seagull’s bill is for? Or why geese fly in a V formation? Answers to such questions—and more illuminating insights into avian species, such as the bird who grows its own snowshoes in winter, and the one who calls “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?”—are neatly compiled in BirdNote (Sasquatch, March 20, $22.95), a collection of vignettes about birds gathered from the popular, two-minute NPR segment of the same name (on KPLU-FM: 8:58 a.m., Monday–Friday; 9:30 a.m., Saturday–Sunday).
Alongside Eugene, Oregon, artist Emily Poole’s enchanting illustrations, Seattle bird expert and longtime BirdNote series editor Ellen Blackstone worked with a team of writers on the compilation, touching on interesting bird behavior, biology, songs and more. It’s a trove of trivia for anyone who’s ever wondered, “Why is that bird doing that?”
Follow Us
A New Year of Influence
Seattle magazine’s Most Influential list kicks off 2026 with leaders across the city.
New year, new issue! As we kick off 2026, Seattle magazine is proud to present this year’s cohort of the Most Influential list, which showcases local leaders in politics, philanthropy, arts, hospitality, and business. Determined, creative, empathetic, humble, and bold are just a few of the words you’ll see describing them—each one has achieved great…
The Queen of the Seattle World’s Fair
With a fur coat and gold Cadillac, Gracie Hansen struck a figure. Her business savvy and whip-smart humor made her a star.
In 1960, a group of well-attired men from the Seattle World’s Fair planning committee gathered in a downtown office. With the fair only two years away, people were starting to pitch their business ideas and on this day, some lady wanted to meet with them to do the same. At the scheduled time, the door…
Cookies From Home
Seattle author Kat Lieu introduces a first-of-its-kind cookbook centered on Asian cookies.
Kat Lieu has built a career out of baking, storytelling, and standing up for what she believes in. A former doctor of physical therapy turned bestselling cookbook author, she’s based in Seattle, is the founder of the online community Subtle Asian Baking and is the author of Modern Asian Baking at Home, a book that…
Photo Essay: The Relief of the Moment
Words and photography by Nick Ward.
Photography tricks my ADHD brain into doing something borderline miraculous: It allows me to focus on exactly one thing at a time. When I press the shutter and hear that lovely little ka-chunk, the inner chatter winks out. I feel oddly connected to the moment by being outside it, observing through the frame instead of…