From dawn until dusk, birds do things that are surprising and mystifying, and as the author of The Secret Lives of Puffins posits, most of us have little idea of what these creatures actually experience on a daily basis. As Dominic Couzens delves into bird behavior and uncovers its purpose and meaning, he also takes a personal journey of discovery. What starts as a desire to learn more about the birds encountered on a regular father-and-son walk through the woods leads to a realization that a bird's life is very far from the idyllic scene that can often be glimpsed by the casual birdwatcher. With wit and sharp observations, Couzens maps out a fiercely competitive world where only tough birds avoid a life that is nasty, brutish, and short.