David Allen Sibley
The world's leading authority on birds and birding; author and illustrator
Jennifer Ackerman
Award-winning science writer, author of The Genius of Birds and What an Owl Knows
Photo credit: Sofia Runarsdotter
Jennifer Ackerman is an acclaimed science writer and award-winning author, renowned for her exceptional ability to bring the wonders of nature to life. Her bestselling books, including The Genius of Birds and What an Owl Knows, have positioned her as a leading voice in the field of natural history. In her informative and engaging talks, she captivates audiences with her insightful explorations into the lives of birds and the intricate wonders of nature.
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About Jennifer Ackerman
Jennifer Ackerman has been writing about science and nature for more than three decades. She is the author of bestselling books, including The Genius of Birds and What an Owl Knows, which have earned her critical acclaim and a dedicated readership. Her latest work, What an Owl Knows, delves into the enigmatic lives of owls, offering a brilliant scientific investigation into these elusive birds and why they captivate human imagination. Her writing is distinguished by its blend of scientific rigor and lyrical prose, making complex biological concepts accessible and engaging to a broad audience.
Ackerman’s talks are enriched with her personal field observations and the latest scientific research, providing audiences with a profound appreciation for the avian world and the broader ecosystems they inhabit. Her talks are not just informative but transformative. Ackerman’s ability to connect with audiences of all backgrounds and foster a deep connection to the natural world, make her an ideal choice for events focused on nature, wildlife conservation, and the wonders of the natural world.
In her latest book, What an Owl Knows, Ackerman collaborates with scientists in the field to investigate how modern technology and tools are being utilized to understand owl communication, hunting, courtship, mating, parenting, and seasonal movements. She enlivens this research with her own personal observations in the field, resulting in a captivating exploration of owls worldwide and throughout human history, offering a mesmerizing account of these mysterious birds.
Ackerman’s New York Times bestselling book, The Genius of Birds, has been translated into twenty-eight languages and was named one of the best nonfiction books of 2016 by The Wall Street Journal, a Best Science Book by NPR’s Science Friday, and a Nature Book of the Year by The Sunday Times. Combining a travelogue with a scientific investigation, a nature guide with a philosophical journey, The Genius of Birds offers readers a surprising and beautiful look at the extraordinary cleverness of birds, and a thought-provoking meditation on intelligence itself.
Her book, The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think, was a perfect follow-up for her loyal readers. The Bird Way draws on personal observations from Ackerman’s travels, from the tropical rainforests of eastern Australia and the remote woodlands of northern Japan to the rolling hills of lower Austria and the islands of Alaska’s Kachemak Bay. The book was a finalist for the PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award.
Her other books include Birds by the Shore: Observing the Natural Life of the Atlantic Coast, Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body, and Chance in the House of Fate: A Natural History of Heredity. Ackerman’s articles and essays have appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times Magazine, Scientific American, and many other publications.She is the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including a 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship, fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Bunting Institute, and a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Contact us for more information about booking Jennifer Ackerman for your next event.
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Speaking Topics
What an Owl Knows
Based on her New York Times-bestselling book, Jennifer Ackerman shares what we have learned lately about the nature of the world’s most enigmatic birds. For millennia, owls have captivated and intrigued us. Our fascination with these mysterious birds was first documented more than 30,000 years ago in the Chauvet Cave paintings in southern France. 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? 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. With remarkable photos, videos, and audio recordings, Ackerman explores the rich biology and natural history of owls and explains how scientists have only recently begun to understand in deep detail the complex nature of these extraordinary birds.
The Genius of Birds
Jennifer Ackerman is changing how people view birds and their capacity for intelligent behavior. In her international bestseller, The Genius of Birds, Ackerman explores the newly discovered brilliance of birds and delves into the mysteries of the avian brain. Join Ackerman and experience her illuminating adventures, from the beaches of Barbados to the rainforests of New Caledonia, as she shares stories and stunning photos from her journey to better understand the feathered geniuses around us and what they can tell us about our own human forms of intelligence. Ackerman reveals how birds make and use their own tools, teach one another new skills, count, navigate, exercise astonishing feats of memory, create works of art, communicate in ways that resemble language, and even pass along cultural traditions.
The Bird Way
How do birds use their remarkable forms of sophisticated intelligence in their daily activities, in their communication, work, play, love, and parenting? And how do the revolutionary new ways of thinking about birds and their activities tell us about our own, similar human behaviors? Drawing on her award-winning book, The Bird Way, Jennifer Ackerman investigates the new discoveries that are overturning many of our old, conventional ideas about how birds live their lives, how science is making some of these astonishing discoveries, and what the implications are for our view of human behaviors. Join Ackerman in an exploration that includes spectacular audio, video, and photos and ranges from the tropical rainforests of eastern Australia and the remote woodlands of northern Japan to the rolling hills of lower Austria and the islands of Alaska’s Kachemak Bay.
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Featured Title
What an Owl Knows
An instant New York Times bestseller
A New York Times Notable Book of 2023
Named a Best Book of 2023 by The Economist, The Times of London, NPR's Science Friday, and Publishers Weekly
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