Includes bibliographical references (pages 188-208) and index.

"Language, intelligence, long life span, long-term care of young by both parents... these are some of traits [sic] that we recognize as particularly human. But, as ornithologist Antone Martinho-Truswell points out, we see similar traits in many birds-- a group of animals only distantly related to us. How did we come to be so bird-like? Considering the answer to this question leads to an exploration of the animal world that highlights fundamental and profound aspects of biology. We look at the value of movement in animals; the way in which traits such as intelligence, size, long life span, and the birth of very immature young are all interconnected. Above all, we see how even very different forms of life, experiencing similar evolutionary pressures from their environments, can hit on similar solutions-- the phenomenon known as convergent evolution. It is that which lies at the root of our bird-ishness. In this unusual and fascinating account, Martinho-Truswell takes in a sweeping glance across animal evolution and behaviour to explain how we and birds came to share so much. We come across many animals, but above all, describing their remarkable behaviour in the lab and in the wild, from tool use to music making, he revels in the variety, beauty, and wonder of birds. No wonder so many of us love birds: when we look in the mirror, in many ways we are looking at a bird without feathers." --,Publisher's Description.

"When you look in the mirror, what do you see? A bird without feathers. So declares Antone Martinho-Truswell in this entrancing and often surprising book. We may not have feathers, or claws, or the ability to fly, and in evolutionary terms, we are very distant cousins to the birds. And yet, we share some remarkable traits with a number of bird, such as the crow family, and, maybe especially, the parrots. Why should this be? Drawing on the fundamental evolutionary concept of convergent evolution, and bringing in fascinating stories about bird behaviour, and many other animals along the way, Martinho-Truswell explains how the similarities between humans and birds arose-- similarities that tell us as much about ourselves as they tell us about birds." --,Back cover.

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