Bird City: Adventures in New York's Urban Wilds

For readers of What an Owl Knows and The World Without Us, this infectiously impassioned tour of the five New York City boroughs offers jaded city dwellers and bird lovers everywhere an unexpected, delightful new view of the concrete jungle - through its surprisingly enormous and diverse bird population

Ryan Goldberg came to birding unexpectedly, but as many first timers do after seeing their "spark" bird, he fell hard. Enamored by the incredible variety of species that pass through his hometown of New York City, and with the other passionate birders he meets, he embarks on a year of reporting on the natural wonders hiding amidst the skyscrapers. He learns that millions of birds migrate through the city each year - over 400 different species have been found in New York, way more than in Yellowstone National Park.

Through the four seasons, Goldberg takes readers to all five boroughs, through the city's most famous parks and landmarks. He chases rare and common species alike, increasing his count and deepening his understanding of how and why birds make their home in this smoggy, noisy, concrete-coated environment. Along the way, he meets many delightful and idiosyncratic characters, both human and feathered.

Richly textured, informative, and uplifting, Bird City will inspire fast-walking New Yorkers, the ever-growing birding community, and readers everywhere who think of "nature" as just a place to visit on Saturdays, to slow down and look around them. There's a lot more than pigeons in our city skies.


Author: Ryan Goldberg
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Published: 11/04/2025
Pages: 288
Size: 9.50h x 6.25w x 0.97d
ISBN: 9781643755564


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 07/15/2025

About the Author
Ryan Goldberg is an award-winning journalist who has written for the New York Times, Texas Monthly, The Intercept, ProPublica, and Popular Science, among many others. He lives in Brooklyn, which is where he began birding in 2016.