A Dumb Birds Field Guide to the Worst Birds Ever

The Field Guide to Dumb Birds #3

by Matt Kracht

Professional birding amateur and national bestselling author Matt Kracht has had it with these goddamn birds. His new book is a warning, a field guide to help you identify and stay away from the absolute worst birds ever to plague planet Earth. Featuring an all-new scientific scale devised by the author that proves how awful birds really are.

We can all agree—birds are terrible. They're stupid and won't shut up.

Featuring fifty of the absolute worst birds to fly the earth, Kracht identifies each of their most terrible qualities, details exactly why they suck, and shows you why with furious (but actually quite lovely) full-color drawings. Including all-new, all-worst fowl, such absolute waste of feathers Cruddy Turdstone (Ruddy Turnstone)The utter a-hole Blank Staring-Eyes Flycrapper (Black Paradise Flycatcher)The outright loser Dowdy Woodfucker (Downy Woodpecker)And many more 
Even the author's previous bird takedown guides are no preparation for this hilariously harrowing collection of squawking, conceited, trash-eating, and even murderous idiots. The horror. The horror . . .

LOVE BIRDS? HATE BIRDS?: For those who hate birds and for bird lovers everywhere with a sense of humor, this illustrated handbook is equal parts profane and funny, and—let's face it—true.

BESTSELLING Matt Kracht is the author of the bestselling Field Guide to Dumb Birds series, including The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America, The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole Stupid World, and The Big Dumb Bird Journal, and (in a startling turn of enthusiasm) OMFG, BEES!

ENTERTAINING AND This uproarious guide to all things wings includes migratory maps, tips for bird identification, musings on the avian population and classification, and more. Plus, each entry is accompanied by facts about a bird's (annoying) call, its (dumb) migratory pattern, its (downright tacky) markings, and more.
 
TRULY THE WORST BIRDS---A MUST-HAVE Even if you're familiar with the winged disasters from Matt's previous guidebook/warnings, buckle up. From the
"Birds are TERRIBLE. I have spent years, YEARS, of my life studying birds. Watching them. Analyzing their behaviors. Determining their ‘contributions’ to the world. I am an expert, so believe me when I tell you Birds are horrible people. And the birds included in THIS book are, by far, the worst of the lot. Of all the shit-eating birds that I’ve had the misfortune to catalog over the course of my career as a scientist and professional bird critic, THESE birds take the absolute SHIT-CAKE!"
 
GREAT GIFT FOR BIRD Pair with The Field Guide to Dumb Birds Sticker Book to create the perfect present for full-on bird experts and amateur birders alike.

Perfect and nature enthusiastsPeople who think birds are creepy or annoying (and people who love birds but also enjoy a good laughAnyone looking for the ultimate coffee table book or bar-top conversation starterGift givers seeking a fun, quirky gift for their favorite bird enthusiast or animal lover

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Birds, Nature, Animals, Science, Reference

200 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2025

About the author

Writer and artist, Matt Kracht is the author of OMFG, BEES!: Bees Are So Amazing and You're About to Find Out Why (Chronicle Books, March 2023), and the bestselling books, The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America (Chronicle Books, 2019), and The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole Stupid World (Chronicle Books, 2021).

Both books in the Field Guide to Dumb Birds series were Goodreads Choice Awards finalists in the Humor category.

Kracht lives with his wife in Tacoma, Washington, where they enjoy gazing at the beautiful waters of the Puget Sound and making fun of birds.

Reviews

[Vanessa (semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suspect Matt Kracht secretly loves birds.

In his funnily foul-mouthed Dumb Birds Field Guide to the Worst Birds Ever, Mr. Kracht parodies field guides and categorizes birds into groups such as, 'Headaches with Feathers,' 'Creeps and Weirdos,' and 'Losers.'

The reader is treated to a made-up bird name (such as 'Northern Pinhead' for 'Northern Pintail) along with scientific-styled factual descriptions to follow. The text is peppered with the author's invective and personal rating system. A lovely hand drawing of each bird is provided.

This book was grand. I laughed constantly and read parts aloud to my hubby. Because birds can be jerks at times, the little sweethearts. Just yesterday my catbird was flirting with my next door teen aged neighbor, singing his heart for her and making up songs that he never sang to me. What a ham.

[Miss✧Pickypants ᓚᘏᗢ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This extremely snarky field guide managed to teach me about birds while making me laugh out loud. What makes this different from typical field guides is each bird is harshly critiqued for what the author considers are its biggest flaws. But also nestled inside are lovely little drawings of every bird along with some factual details. The author also includes his own "scientific ratings", which are complete bunk but also complete silly fun.

I could not help but agree that the Fire Kite does in fact sound like a jerk-bird who qualifies as a worst bird for their propensity to help start fires (they prey on the small animals as they flee fires). Other birds seem unfairly maligned, like the Wandering Albatross that can fly for 2 years without landing on ground, 2 years!

Anyone who enjoys birds will appreciate this humorous little book but parents and those of a delicate nature be forewarned, the language does get a bit salty at times with f-bombs and other swear words.

[ancientreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

As all birders know, birds in general are loathsome creatures prone to hiding behind leaves or turning around to show you their cloacas or just taking off exactly when you get your viewfinder / binoculars on them. So Matt Kracht's hostility and resentment will resonate with all of us.

(Seriously: a very funny book to dip in and out of. As far as I can tell the factual information, though presented comically, is correct. And the illustrations are beautifully done. A treat for any birder with a sense of humor.)

Thanks to Edelweiss, NetGalley, and Chronicle for the ARC.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I visited my nephew over the weekend and we made a trip to B&N (nominally because I wanted to buy him a book that I selfishly wanted to read before gifting to him - but it was out of stock. BOO!) so he ended up getting this book instead. (Or in addition. Probably.)

He then spent the car ride home, and the rest of the weekend, reading it at me, and showing me all of the funny stuff contained inside, and the educational and informational cool stuff in and around the 'tude that the crotchety old man shaking his fist at the sky (because that's where birds are) uses to describe them. Stuff like a certain bird being nearly hunted to extinction so that Victorian era ladies could wear parts of their dead bird bodies on their hats - until a conservation society lobbied to save them, and now they are all over the place (thanks a lot, hippies!)

For the record, my nephew is eleven (11) years old, and this book is NOT age appropriate for most 11 year olds. There's a lot of cussing and suchlike in this, and while he grew up in my family (thus his first word was likely a four-letter one), I don't think that most 11 year olds would be the ideal audience for this.

Still, it's a fun foul-mouthed fowl book, and the nephew really liked it (especially the drawings and stats and random info including which birds' tails are just TOO LONG, etc) so I would recommend it... for grown ups who ACT like children, not actual children. :P

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The whole concept of the book is amazing; giving critical reviews to various bird species. The book is highly informative with amazingly snappy writing. The illustrations with the hand-written notes are terrific. The book kept me enthralled and smiling, frequently laughing, from start to finish. This is a great way to teach. Thank you to Netgalley and Chronicle Books for the advance reader copy.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am trying my hardest not to be disappointed. Author Matt Kracht, in the very title, promises a guide to the worst birds ever. By that, I thought Kracht would not allow time nor space to limit his hilarity. I thought his latest field guide to birds would tackle the worst birds ever, including extinct ones who, thankfully, can no longer pester us humans. At least that would be Kracht’s ever-so-sly take.

Alas, no. Instead it is a third guide to birds, with most of the really interesting and hilarious birds already included in the previous two. As usual, Kracht comes up with a colorful name for each bird while sharing their scientific name, actual common name, a wonderful illustration and lots of information about them, so readers learn quite a bit about these birds. And, in fairness to Kracht, some of these birds are quite awful: raiding others’ nests, eating garbage, defecating freely and frequently, even putting on airs! Here’s a sample for the Cruddy Turdstone (a.k.a. the Ruddy Turnstone):

The Ruddy Turnstone is considered cosmopolitan — not cosmopolitan like they’re all sporting the latest fashion while they sip martinis and discuss French New Wave film in swanky I bars. Ha ha, no, these birds are not stylish or fun.

To be fair, Kracht is right on all counts. However, he was laugh-until-you’re-crying funny in the original The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America, and now, well….

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Chronicle Books in exchange for an honest review.

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Kracht is hilariously over the top angry about birds. Imagine a Lenny Henry as Gareth Blackstock swearing about goddamn birds and you have a very good idea of what you’re in for. Very much my cup of tea.

BUMMR Rating:
Swearing: +57
Artwork: +100
Scientific excellence: +75
———————————————————
Great read for sweary people who like (or dislike) birds: 100%

[Aquila · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Dumb Birds Field Guide to the Worst Birds Ever by Matt Kracht is narrated by Patrick Lawlor to hilarious effect.

This guide will give you the scoop on the absolute WORST birds. You'll get info on their appearance, where they live, what weird noises they make, what they eat (and in some cases what eats them), you'll even get a so-so avian anatomy lesson and learn way more than you ever wanted to know about bird feet!

We'll learn about birds from all over the world... but they won't be categorized by region, no. That would be far too easy. In this guide, our feathered frenemies are grouped in accordance with *checks notes* "their primary effect on the human psyche" which is fancy talk for how much and in what way they annoy the author.

Once in their proper groups, the birds are ranked using Kracht's Bird Universal Mathematical Modeling and Ranking system or BUMMR. The absolute inconsistency of the BUMMR ratings was kind of spectacular.

I laughed a lot, I learned some cool sh*t, I was excited that Another Hummingbird was included. They are my very favorite birds!

I highly recommend this audiobook if you're in need of a good laugh and not opposed to learning a little something about the natural world in the process.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I received this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love birds.... this author has a different opinion. Pretty funny... but lots of swearing.

[Kaitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silly little book about silly little birds. I giggled a few times and will probably look at some of these birds in the wild and laugh.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious! Great to flip through periodically when needing a bit of humor. The illustrations were mostly accurate- I looked up some of the more beautiful birds online for myself. Super cute!

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dumb Birds Field Guide To the Worst Birds Ever, is the third book in The Dumb Birds series by Matt Krachtt instead of focusing on certain regions, in this book the author focuses on everywhere from Asia to Australia America and the Europe. He talks about all types of birds the reasons they’re annoying the way they like to impress others and he even rates them on everything from dumbness likability and even taste. What they get rated on changes from bird to bird or section to section in the rating system really makes no sense but only adds to the lol moments included in this funny but informational book. He talks about all kinds of birds from big old ostriches to itty-bitty hummingbirds to the tiny woodpecker only found in Scotland to those who like to dive bomb in those who can’t fly at all. He really did a great job picking the narrator for these books because OMG the super sarcastic and hilarious Patrick Lawler gave another awesome performance. I love these books and this is a fast fun read and I would definitely suggest you get the audiobook because as I said the sarcasm of the narrator makes it that much funnier. I do want to say however throughout the whole book I was laughing along but for some reason I felt so bad for the dumb ostrich. shame on you Mr. Kracht… Lol! if you love humorous books and only have a passing fascination with birds you should still definitely get this book I highly recommend it and totally loved it! Can’t wait for the next one. #NetGalley, #TantorAudio, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,#MattKracht,#ADumbBirdsFieldGuideToTheWorstBirdsEver,

[Carly Hathaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book series, and I was very excited to see another one was coming out. As usual, I laughed my way through this book, but also learned a little. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent compendium of knowledge about nature's biggest mistake- birds. Hopefully you're fortunate enough never to encounter feathered foes, but if you do, this book will help you identify them and their weaknesses.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I flipped through a couple pages at my local book shop and cackled so much I had to bring it home. I’m shocked I didn’t know about the series and will go back to the first book and properly educate myself on dumb birds!

[James Biser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a humorous and somewhat vulgar explanation of common birds. It is a laugh!

[EuroHackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A++, 10/10, would read (and laugh) again.

The drawings are absolutely beautiful! It's worth it to find a copy for the illustrations alone.

[Hannah Buschert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Matt Kracht has submitted to his readership a hilarious, foulmouthed take on the birds of our world. His third book dedicated to judging and criticizing our feathered friends - or nemeses - highlights some of the worst birds you can find. He rates each species on a proprietary BUMMR (Bird Universal Mathematical Modeling and Ranking) system that uses a variety of factors to assess the birds with results like: 'Enjoyability Equivalent: Permeant Tinnitus' to 'Good Person?: -1,082'.

I have been a serious birder for 15 years, but I am not beyond cussing out a bird at the end of a long day, so I feel sympatico with Kracht in this respect. His illustrations are beautiful and beneath all of the obscenities and jokes you will end up actually learning something about each species.

Thank you Chronicle Books, Matt Kracht, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for my unbiased review.

[Tash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matt Kracht is back disparaging the bird world. He uses a unique and hilarious rating system and fabulously insulting descriptions. This is definitely not the book for bird lovers lacking a sense of humour and bad language is added as if it were cheese on a pizza. I loved it though, as he still manages to teach you about these birds while making you laugh. There’s a particularly good haiku about woodpeckers (he hates woodpeckers!) and the page characterizing bird shapes is fabulous. I love this series and look forward to more.

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

Lol, that really is the entire title, which should prepare you for the irreverent humor within the pages of this bird guide, written from the point of view of someone who (hilariously) loathes birds.

Matt Kracht has been writing about birds for quite a while: while he might really hate them, he certainly knows his enemy! In this third installment of the series, he takes a look at what he deems the Worst Birds Ever. Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of highly qualified candidates for his list here!

In the tradition of all the Dumb Birds books so far, he describes why he made each of these fifty selections while giving it a fairly comprehensive field guide breakdown. Thus you get each bird's mean nickname, scientific name, common name, then a long description of why it's terrible. You also get a short physical description and an accompanying illustration that's really quite well done for amateur work! Each entry is rounded out with a note as to the regions where the bird may be found, before an idiosyncratic rating according to the Bird Universal Mathematical Modeling and Ranking (BUMMR) system. The BUMMR system doesn't make sense and doesn't have to, tho Mr Kracht's explanation of it and where one can send critiques is just another humorous part of this book.

Comedy-wise, my personal favorite bit was the opening, which involves an argument with his doctor over the calming effect of birdwatching. As funny as it can be to read the author's (not entirely unjustified) rants, his humor really shines when he has a human foil to work off of.

That said, this guide is a surprisingly fresh way to learn about birds in a manner that doesn't feel at all like a textbook. I probably know a little more about birds than the average person does (if my Learned League scores are anything to go by, lol) and even I felt like I was learning some interesting new stuff here. Mr Kracht's approach to birding also makes what can feel like an impenetrable hobby seem accessible to anyone, especially when he complains about how physically annoying the pastime can be. His well-placed jabs at ornithology are also hilarious. The page on identifying Brown Thrashers highlights one particularly aggravating aspect of birding: those six birds literally all look the same, especially in the wild and on the wing!

If you're looking for a different but entertaining perspective on this ubiquitous but surprisingly challenging hobby, then you definitely need to check out this entire series. This latest installment is a standout in how it specifically highlights the literal worst birds -- from the merely annoying to the outright murderous -- but all the books are equally fun and informative, and an excellent addition to the library of any bird enthusiast. Well, for any bird enthusiast who doesn't mind some curse words and grumbling with their hobby anyway.

A Dumb Birds Field Guide To The Worst Birds Ever by Matt Kracht was published March 11 2025 by Chronicle Books and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!

This review originally appeared at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.

[amber ♥︎ mytbrshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Duck floats on water
Quacking to no one at all
You eat too much bread”

★★★★★

BUMMR RATING
𓅫 Times I laughed out loud while reading: +16
𓅫 Facts I never knew I needed to know: +52
𓅫 Top-tier drawings: +87
————————
ོ Book assessment: 10/10, would absolutely recommend.

This 200-page book was the most fun I’ve had on a lazy Sunday afternoon. If you told me that learning about birds’ feet would be this fascinating, I might’ve ripped the book out of my own hands from disbelief. My only real disappointment? Missing the chance to meet Matt Kracht when he was in Phoenix last month.

I’ve had a recent interest into birding, just one more addition to the long list of grandma hobbies I’ve been collecting lately (yes, I’m aware I’m only 34). This book had me laughing out loud while learning about birds from all over the world and their... let’s say, questionable reputations in their ecosystems.

With hilariously rebranded names like the Blundering Albatrash and Great Regret, Kracht sprinkles sharp, witty commentary throughout. His humor never overshadows the surprisingly fascinating facts, if anything, it makes them even more memorable.

Some gems I didn’t expect to walk away with:
* Fire Kites take advantage of wildfires, scooping up rodents escaping the flames and have even been known to spread wildfires by carrying burning debris to dry grass.
* Siblicide among Great Egret chicks. Yes, that’s exactly what it sounds like.
* And the What the Hell-bird (real life name the White Bellbird) can unleash a call as loud as 125 decibels.

Bird nerd or not, this book is guaranteed to make you laugh and leave you with bizarre bird facts you never knew you needed.

Huge thanks to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Emily (The Litertarian) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in this series that I've read, and I have to say, it's convinced me to track the others down, because this was just pure, hilarious delight! An audiobook might not be the most practical way to use this book, if you're actually looking to use it for bird watching, but listening to it was a delightful experience - I found myself perpetually smiling and even laughed out loud more than a few times.

I imagine this as a cantankerous curmudgeon-type's way to trick you into becoming an enthusiastic bird watcher. Hate is not the opposite of love, after all...something the two have in common, in fact, is obsession, as this book clearly demonstrates.

I think this volume is also a good test on another universal cliche here: is all press good press? In this case, I would argue that yes, this silly yet informative book about some of the most annoying and ridiculous birds of the world will make you more aware of the sounds drifting through your window. It may even pique your interest enough to peek out at the source of the cacophony.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

For more book reviews, visit my blog thelitertarian.com.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serious birders are probably not going to enjoy A Dumb Birds Field Guide to the Worst Birds Ever. But the rest of us, the casual birders, at least those okay with bad language, will find it humorous.
You need to pay attention to find all the insults hidden throughout. Kracht finds lots to dislike about birds and has even devised his own “scientific scale” to measure their obnoxiousness. I even learned a few things (who knew a woodpecker’s tongue can be up to 4” long?)
The book covers the entire globe and I will admit to having no idea about most of the birds included. But that didn’t lessen my enjoyment. I was surprised that a few birds that I dislike didn’t make the list. Canadian Geese don’t (but their cousin, the Cackling Goose does). No thieving about Crows.
The drawings are great. A minor quibble, I would have preferred the illustrations to be before the text. I found myself paging back and forth on those birds I was unfamiliar with.
I wasn’t familiar with his earlier books, but am off to try and find his The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America.
My thanks to Netgalley and Chronicle Books for an advance copy of this book.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dumb Birds Field Guide to the Worst Birds Ever

This was a really funny and silly book.

Having read his other two books (The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America and The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole Stupid World), I felt it was a great addition to his series of books on birds.

Matt has a great way of writing humor and I was constantly finding myself laughing throughout the book.

This one, I especially enjoyed his funny naming of the birds, as well as giving them a rating on various qualities of annoyance or questionable traits.

I would very much recommend reading this book if you are interested in having a laugh while still learning about common orinthological terms and birds.

Check it out!

4.8/5

[Dread · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Solace: This book was funny, a bit charming, and clearly a love letter to birds disguised as hate mail. I liked how it balanced humor with actual tidbits of bird knowledge—making it both entertaining and oddly informative. The tone was cute and sarcastic in the best way, and it gave me a new appreciation for the quirks and annoyances of different birds. It’s the kind of book that can make you laugh out loud while secretly teaching you something.

The Dread: The humor, while clever, did start to wear thin after a while. The jokes sometimes felt repetitive, and I found myself skimming in places where the bit stretched too long. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, but the book works better in small doses rather than a straight-through read.

Overall, A Dumb Bird’s Field Guide to the Worst Birds Ever was a quick, enjoyable read that delivered plenty of laughs and a surprising amount of bird insight. It’s something I’ll definitely pick up again when I want a quick chuckle or a refresher on why birds are the best jerks. Not perfect, but absolutely worth it for its humor and charm.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do not listen to this audiobook in public if you don’t want to be arrested for disturbing the peace. It made me laugh out loud. It is a very short, hilarious and informative read about some of the birds that the author finds especially annoying. I wasn’t sure that this was for me, considering I love animals and kept wondering whether he really, really meant it when the author said he hates birds. Obviously, this should be taken with a grain of salt. I loved how he describes the birds’ behavior and habits. It is not a scientific book but it does teach you a thing or two. Patrick Lawlor is the perfect narrator. He is very funny and really sounds annoyed. I enjoyed this so much, that I have already downloaded the previous two volumes. I highly recommend it to bird lovers, people with a funny bone and anyone who doesn’t mind “fowl” language.
I chose to listen to this audiobook and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Tantor Audio.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dumb Birds Field Guide to the Worst Birds Ever is the latest installment in the series I’ve come to adore—and it doesn’t disappoint. Having collected every title (and even gifted them to fellow bird lovers), I can confidently say this one is a standout.

What I love most is the author’s playful, irreverent humor—each entry skewers the quirkiest behaviors and most infuriating traits of our feathered friends in a way that had me laughing out loud. From the northern mockingbird's unruly antics to the peacock's downright diva tendencies, every “worst bird” gets its turn in the spotlight.

This book is as informative as it is entertaining: bite-sized facts are paired with sharp wit, making it impossible not to learn something new (and snicker at the same time). Whether you’re a hardcore birder or someone who just appreciates a good nature roast, A Dumb Birds Field Guide to the Worst Birds Ever is a must-have. I can’t wait to see which avian offenders make the cut next!

[Maxine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not sure why I requested Dumb Birds Field Guide to the Worst Birds Ever by Matt Kracht. I don’t really pay that much attention to birds except the Canada geese or, as the author calls them, Goddamned cackling goose, that make my hometown one of their stopovers on their way to and from warmer climes. They truly are evil and shockingly rude so perhaps it was their picture on the cover that made me want to read it.

Whatever the reason, I’m glad I did because it is, in a word, hilarious and I loved it. Mixed in with Kracht’s humorous names and laugh-out-loud descriptions of the birds is some interesting information about each bird as well as full-colour illustrations to accompany each of these awful avians. Whether you love birds, hate them, or don’t have any real opinion, this is a fun and surprisingly informative guide to the birds Kracht considers the worst birds ever.

I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss+ and the publishers in exchange for an honest review

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third in Matt Kracht's birding series, A Dumb Birds Field Guide to the Worst Birds Ever builds on his earlier books. The writing and descriptions are angry, flabbergasted and sarcastically hysterical with a healthy dose of curses sprinkled throughout. Here are some of the bird categories he covers (which gives you. a sense of what to expect): A Flock of A-holes, Wastes of Feathers, Creeps and Weirdos... Along the way, you'll pick up bits of knowledge about some of the unusual quirks, fun facts and random tidbits about specific types of birds. Kracht creates his own BUMMR scale that rates birds on various qualities like twitchiness, questionable lineage, and all that warbling. This is just a fun book for serious and non-serious birders alike and the random tangents into topics like Japanese folklore, history, bird anatomy and drawing tips - in short, there's something for everyone and some beautiful illustrations to boot!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the e-arc. This is the kind of book where you'd like a hard copy to share with others!

[Nicole Zimmerman]

This guide to some of the worst birds ever is just as fabulous as all of Matt Kracht's guides on some of the worst animals ever. After reading I can confirm that all of the worst birds I can think of are here (including the Fire Kite which....if you know you know). Not only is it funny but there are SO MANY facts about the birds too, you will laugh and learn!
This (or any of Matt's brid guides really) is a great guide for anyone who what to know what the big deal is about birds. I work outside and one of my favorite things about birds is that they are all some from assholes secretly. They might be neat but they also have the potential to act with malicious intent.