The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne

Well written account of “the Miss Marple of eiderdown” who spent her entire career at the Smithsonian Institution, peering through a microscope at tens of thousands of feathers. Why? Because the military and the FAA need to understand how to avoid planes striking birds, which can result in catastrophic crashes. Because the FBI and other investigators need to understand feather evidence at crime scenes. Because smugglers need to be caught, as well as poachers. And because she was determined to create a taxonomy of feathers: ways to accurately distinguish a parrot from a hawk, goose from swan. As the author says, “feathers are the Swiss Army knife of animal outerwear,” and you will gain a new appreciation for these bits of down after reading the book. Roxie Laybourne was a renegade, determined to go her own path. As the lone woman in her department (and one of very few in the entire museum), she kept her head down and forged ahead with the work, laboring for years after most people would have retired. The book will appeal to readers who enjoy learning about forensics, bird-watchers, and those who like discovering scientists who have long been overlooked.