As the author of this engaging book makes plain, it is with good reason that owls are such cherished birds. They possess the most acute sense of hearing not just of any avian group but possibly of any creature. In experimental conditions of total darkness, barn owls were able to catch mice merely by hearing their rustling as they moved. The owls’ own flight is soundless because of special comb-like structures on the leading edges of their wings. Almost all owl species are adapted to see acutely at night and the largest are able to catch deer or pluck young eagles from the nest.
But it is not merely these definable physical attributes that set owls apart. They also have a psychological aura. Their forward-facing eyes in a rather flat-faced configuration mimic our own arrangement. There are myths and legends worldwide of humans and gods taking owl form; and so much of their lives is conducted behind a screen of darkness, giving them an indefinable allure, that almost every encounter with an owl feels like a revelation.
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Chris Sperring is thus not unusual in his fixation. What is exceptional is the time he has spent devoted to their well-being. His career with the Hawk and Owl Trust is also noteworthy for other reasons. As a child, he was so wildlife obsessed that he flunked his exams and left school without a single qualification. His first job was in a factory, laminating book covers, until the chemicals started to damage his lungs. In a sense, Ghosts of the Night is as much an example of what we can achieve when driven by passion as it is a memoir about birds.
