Book excerpt: An exuberant and vibrant illustrated exploration of birds and our relationships with them From the Common Swift, which can stay in the air continuously without landing for up to ten months at a time, to the tiny Goldcrest, Europe's smallest bird, which can lay a clutch of a dozen eggs in two weeks totaling one-and-one-half times its body weight, the class of animals we call birds is filled with incredible feats of beauty, intellect, and wonder. With enthralling facts, humorous anecdotes, and gorgeous artwork, artist Misha Blaise pays loving homage to these amazing beings that populate our skies and share the planet with us. Using her own adoration of birds as a starting point to explore avian minutiae both strange and fascinating, Blaise winds through the interconnectedness between humans and our feathered friends, from the eccentric people who obsess about birds to the compelling ways people have integrated birds into culture throughout history, as well as our similar behaviors, kindred intelligence, and shared habitats. Thoughtful, philosophical, and delightful, Crazy for Birds pairs beautiful artwork with whimsical writing to explore the many wonders of birds, shedding light on our abiding connection with nature, the diversity of life, and the idiosyncrasy of the human psyche.