Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Iandgt;The Curse of the Labrador Duckandlt;/Iandgt; follows bird biologist Glen Chilton in his obsessive attempt to uncover the mysteries of one of the world's most enigmatic birds. In an unexpectedly zany adventure that took the author the equivalent of 3.3 times around the world, the result is a tale of theft, wartime atrocities, insane millionaires, intrigue in the Middle East, and skinny dipping.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;The Labrador Duck is often mentioned in the same breath as the Passenger Pigeon, the Dodo, and the Great Aukand#8212;great species that once roamed the planet. The Labrador Duck became extinct somewhere around 1875. It is the most enigmatic bird in North America, partially because it bred so far north that no record exists of its breeding, and partially because it became extinct almsot before we noted it was in decline. andlt;Iandgt;The Curse of the Labrador Duckandlt;/Iandgt; chronicles Chilton's adventures while attempting to examine every stuffed specimen of the species, do genetic analysis of every Labrador Duck egg, and visit every North American site where the duck was shot.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;When Chilton began his investigation, there were thought to be about fifty specimens scattered amongst the museums of Europe, North America, and the Middle East. However, as his study advanced, it was clear that some specimens had been lost to war and theft, and others were secreted away in far-flung collections overseen by miserly curators. After travelling the equivalent of more than three times around the world, Chilton was able to examine what amounted to fifty-five specimens in total, although one turned out to be a forgery and several others had been tampered with by unscrupulous taxidermists. Regrettably, genetic analysis showed that none of the eggs attributed to the Labrador Duck were genuine, even those that had escaped the bombing of Dresden. On the positive side, the author earned numerous hangovers, swam naked in a glacier-fed stream, dined with Russian gangsters, and was able to narrowly avoid arrest in New York City.
Review
"A fascinating wild goose chase (where the geese are all dead and aren't technically geese). Glen Chilton — currently my favorite hard-drinking ornithologist — is a wonderful guide, with prose that calls to mind James Herriot and Bill Bryson." A.J. Jacobs, author of The Guinea Pig Diaries and The Year of Living Biblically
Review
"From the wilds of Nova Scotia to the neglected bowels of decrepit museums, Glen Chilton is in relentless pursuit of evidence of the extinct Labrador Duck. And the curse? You'll have to read this engaging adventure to find out." Tim Flannery, author of The Weather Makers
Review
"The Curse of the Labrador Duck is a pleasure to read and not really about a bird at all. It's about our obsessions, and how they lead us to the most wonderful, unexpected places. Glen Chilton is a funny and engaging writer. He is also a bit insane, and thank goodness for that." Eric Weiner, author of The Geography of Bliss
Review
"I've seen my share of strange quests, and have even taken part in a few myself, but nothing matches Glen Chilton's galloping obsession to corner the market on rare stuffed ducks. A funny, fast-paced and oddly heroic tale." Will Ferguson, author of Happiness
Review
"Glen Chilton is one of those great rarities — a serious scientist who knows how to spin a fascinating yarn. The Curse of the Labrador Duck drew me in from the start and I eagerly followed Chilton's wild ride through every gritty inner-city back road, grungy gin joint, and dilapidated hotel room in North America and Europe." Tim Gallagher, author of The Grail Bird: The Rediscovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker
Synopsis
In an obsessive 82,000-mile quest for dead birds, how much trouble can one scientist get into?
Finally, the world's leading authority on the extinct Labrador Duck, Dr. Glen Chilton, shares the story of his frenzied obsession to reveal the histories behind the mysterious bird — a saga wherein he sets out to examine the remains of every Labrador Duck, conduct genetic analysis on every Labrador Duck egg, and visit every site where the duck was shot...with many a (mis)adventure along the way.
More elusive than the Passenger Pigeon, the Dodo, or the Great Auk and breeding in places so obscure that no certain records exist of its nests, the Labrador Duck succumbed to extinction almost before anyone realized it was in decline. When Chilton began his travels, there were thought to be approximately fifty stuffed specimens, scattered among the museums of Europe and North America. However, as his search progressed, it became clear that some specimens had been lost to war and theft, while others lay hidden in far-flung collections, overseen by secretive curators. After traveling the equivalent of 3.3 times around the world with a series of oddball companions, Chilton finally began to close in on every known specimen...but not before he risked heavy-metal poisoning in Russia, swam naked in a glacier-fed stream, corresponded with a millionaire murderer, and narrowly avoided arrest in New York City.
A magnificent blend of travel writing, science, detective work, and mishap, The Curse of the Labrador Duck is the zany adventure of one biologist's obsessive quest to uncover the mysteries of one of the world's most enigmatic birds.
Synopsis
In this fascinating adventure, a biologist's obsessive quest to uncover the mysteries of one of the world's most enigmatic birds builds into an unlikely tale of theft, wartime atrocities, intrigue in the Middle East, and insane millionaires. B&W photos throughout.
Synopsis
In this fascinating adventure, a biologist’s obsessive quest to uncover the mysteries of one of the world’s most enigmatic birds builds into an unlikely tale of theft, wartime atrocities, insane millionaires, intrigue in the Middle East, and skinny dipping.
• An avid audience: Bird, nature, and environmental enthusiasts will warmly embrace this book, which follows one of the world’s foremost ornithologists as he tracks down the Labrador Duck, which became extinct in 1875—an elusive creature that is often mentioned in the same breath as the famed Dodo and the Great Auk.
• Globetrotting adventure: When Dr. Glen Chilton began his hunt for surviving evidence of the Labrador Ducks, there were thought to be about fifty specimens scattered amongst the museums of europe, North America, and the middle east. After traveling the equivalent of more than three times around the world, Chilton was able to examine what amounted to fifty-five specimens in total—as well as suffer numerous hangovers, swim naked in a glacier-fed stream, narrowly avoid arrest in New York City, and dine with russian gangsters. His story is a magnificent blend of travel writing, science, detective work, and hilarious mishap.
• The author is the authority: An internationally recognized ornithologist and world-renowned behavioral ecologist, Dr. Chilton’s scholarly talks at international conferences are keenly anticipated both for their scientific content and their presentation style. And, of course, he is the world’s leading authority on the extinct Labrador Duck.
About the Author
Dr. Glen Chilton is an internationally recognized ornithologist who began his university studies at sixteen and started teaching university at nineteen. After twenty-nine years of university teaching, he gave up his position as a professor of biology in Canada and moved to Australia with his wife. Chilton is the world's leading authority on the extinct Labrador Duck; andlt;iandgt;The Curse of the Labrador Duckandlt;/iandgt; is his first book.