What Birds Teach Us About the Value of Family and Friendship

Clark’s Nutcracker.

Source: Courtesy of Ian Routley / Macaulay Library

Birds are very important animals for numerous people around the world as animals who can rewild our hearts and souls. Writer and master naturalist Jessica Mann's riveting new book Uplift clarifies why this is so for everyone who wants to know what birds are thinking and feeling from their point of view.¹ Jessica aptly uses the latest research on their complex social and emotional lives―their family ties and friendships―to weave a compelling and moving story with an important message about the beauty of life in the mountains of the West.

Marc Bekoff: Why did you write Uplift?

Jessica Mann: I am both a writer and a naturalist, so I decided I wanted to write my next novel about animals and nature. Eco-fiction is a growing genre these days, but as I looked around, I noticed that in almost all these books, people were still the central characters and narrators. It made me wonder: What would the world look like from an animal’s point of view? Could I get inside their heads and “see” the world through their eyes? And so, Uplift is written entirely from the point of view of its nonhuman characters: a Clark’s Nutcracker, several other species of birds, a dragonfly, and an ancient Whitebark pine tree, all living together in a mountain wilderness. This turned out to be quite a challenge! I felt strongly that each species deserved to be represented as faithfully as possible, and as I researched their life histories and behavior, I found myself amazed by the incredible but true stories of their lives. It has completely changed the way I perceive these beings.

MB: How does your book relate to your background and general areas of interest?

JM: It turns out that naturalists and novelists share important professional attributes! Good science and good writing both call for keen observation and careful study of behavior and the surrounding environment, along with the ability to translate these observations into something that others can understand and learn from. So, for me, it made perfect sense to combine my two professions in the writing of Uplift.

On the personal side, animals and nature have always been a source of joy and inspiration to me. I grew up hiking and backpacking in the mountains of the western US, and hold a particular fondness for birds (and who among us hasn’t had secret dreams of flying?).

MB: Who do you hope to reach?

JM: Everyone who enjoys a good story! At first, I thought the book would appeal mainly to those interested in birds or nature, but readers tell me that Uplift is engrossing and engaging enough that people forget it is “about birds.” Instead, readers find themselves rooting for the book’s likable, relatable characters as they navigate life’s challenges. In addition, I would love to reach young adult readers, as some of the issues dealt with in the book—rebellion against parents and tradition, dealing with eco- and climate grief, fighting for greater tolerance and acceptance of those seen as “different”—may resonate strongly with them. (Teachers, take note!)

Source: Courtesy of Jessica Mann

MB: What are some of the major topics or themes you consider?

JM: Uplift is a novel, so no plot spoilers here… but as the book unfolds it becomes clear that we humans are not the only ones on this planet leading rich inner lives! Columbina, the main protagonist and hero of the book, is a Clark’s Nutcracker—a member of the corvid family of birds known for their intelligence and complex social and emotional lives. She and her large extended family have strong bonds, experience joy, grieve the loss of loved ones, have moral codes of right and wrong, and are capable of learning and making choices or altering behavior based upon that knowledge. In many fundamental ways, these birds are just like us!

The book also touches on themes of intolerance and prejudice. The Nutcracker elders believe that their intelligence puts them above other bird clans, while Columbina rejects their superior, speciesist attitudes, arguing all have a right to live and thrive.

And, finally, the book plays out against the backdrop of a warming climate and the impending threat of human encroachment. Can the birds learn to work together to save their common home against these powerful invaders?

MB: What is unique about your book, and how does it differ from others concerned with some of the same topics?

JM: There are many wonderful nonfiction books out there addressing these same topics, but my book is unique in that it is a novel and a work of fiction. And people do love stories! A compelling and engaging work of fiction can capture people’s imagination in a way like no other. My book tries to reach a wide audience of readers who will be drawn into the story on an emotional level and not necessarily notice that they are learning about “issues.”

However, as a naturalist, it was important to me to write the characters to be as natural and realistic as possible—no talking animals children’s book or Disney cartoons here. I did a great deal of research to try and make the life histories and behavior of the various characters as accurate as possible. A bit of anthropomorphism was necessary because, after all, the birds and trees in the book are speaking our language—but that’s only because we haven’t learned to speak Nutcracker or Pine yet!²

MB: Are you hopeful that as people learn more about the plight of birds, they will do more to respect and save these amazing beings?

JM: I am hopeful! In fact, my aim was to write a book of hope (even the title reflects that) as an antidote to ecological grief and despair. Learning from the wisdom and dedication of others, I realize how much of the natural world is still intact and worth saving. And seeing so many people, from around the block to around the world, who care and are working to make things better brings me comfort and inspiration.

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I hope that in some small way my book may help inspire others to care about and protect birds and nature. To quote my hero Jane Goodall: “Only if we understand, can we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, we shall be saved.”

In Uplift, the birds learned, and through that knowledge, changed to become kinder and more compassionate. If birds can do it, why can’t we?