Join the Sussex Bird Club to hear renowned author Jennifer Ackerman discuss her new book, What An Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds. An instant New York Times bestseller, this book is an exciting exploration of the new science of owls and an investigation into why these remarkable and mysterious birds exert such a hold on the human imagination. Jennifer will present remotely and the public is welcome to view at the library or via Zoom.

For millennia, owls have captivated and intrigued us. With their forward gaze and quiet flight, owls are often a symbol of wisdom, knowledge, and foresight. But what does an owl really know? And what do we really know about owls? Scientists have only recently begun to understand in deep detail the complex nature of these extraordinary birds. Some 260 species of owls exist today, and they reside on every continent except Antarctica, but they are far more difficult to find and study than other birds because they are cryptic, camouflaged, and mostly active in the dark of night. Join Jennifer in a multimedia presentation on what we have learned lately about the nature of the world’s most enigmatic birds. With remarkable photos, videos, and audio recordings, Jennifer explores the rich biology and natural history of owls and examines remarkable new scientific discoveries about their brains and behavior.

What An Owl Knows was selected as a New York Times Notable Book of 2023. It was also chosen as a BEST BOOK of 2023 by The Economist, The Times of London, NPR’s Science Friday, Publisher’s Weekly, Amazon (Science), and Birding Magazine. It was also a winner of a 2024 Gold Nautilus Book Award, Animals & Nature and earned a 2023 National Outdoor Book Award in Outdoor Literature.

Jennifer Ackerman is an award-winning science writer and speaker, who has been writing about nature and science for more than three decades. She is the author of seven books, including, most recently, the New York Times bestseller, What An Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds. Jennifer’s previous books include The Bird Way, named a Nature Book of the Year by the London Sunday Times, and the New York Times bestseller, The Genius of Birds, which was listed as one of the 10 best nonfiction books of 2016 by the Wall Street Journal and has been published in 28 languages. She is also the author of Birds by the Shore (originally published as Notes from the Shore), about the natural life around Sussex County. Jennifer is the recipient of a 2024 fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation and grants from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

We invite you to support the author by purchasing a copy of their book from Browseabout Books by clicking HERE. Call-in orders are accepted at (302) 226-2665 or you can stop by the store to purchase a copy. For store hours, please visit their website. Each copy purchased comes signed. Books will be available for sale at the event.

The Sussex Bird Club's primary objective is to promote the knowledge and enjoyment of wild birds through guided field trips and monthly meetings about various aspects of birding. Meetings are open to all and beginning birders are always welcome.

NOTE: this session is available to attend in-person or through Zoom. You MUST REGISTER and indicate which you prefer.

If you need assistance with registration or getting your Zoom invitation, please email us.

Basic written instructions for using Zoom may be found here and a brief video tutorial may be found here. Closed captioning is available for all our sessions. Information on enabling closed captioning in Zoom may be found here.