Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers’ Favorite (Jan. 9, 2026). Click to see original post.
Birds Gone Wild by Janelle Molony is a comprehensive look at ostrich farming, originating from the 19th-century South African feather boom, and the creation of captive breeding systems that expanded rapidly under colonial administration. Molony follows the transfer of this model to the United States through the introduction of breeding, which ultimately led to the California Ostrich Company. She shares facts like how feather clipping replaced killing, how pricing depended on anatomical limits, and how processing shifted risk to urban labor. Molony even shares a 1914 Arizona death during an ostrich drive that altered the public perception of ranching operations. We learn that World War I fashion changes and market collapse fueled feather decline, but that ostriches have so much more to offer, including a 2010 research on egg-derived ostrich IgY antibodies.
Ostriches have long been my favorite bird, even beating the peacock, but now that I’ve read Birds Gone Wild by Janelle Molony, my selection has been confirmed as the right choice! The book is filled with loads of photos, and it is so cool to be able to visualize a lot of what she is sharing. The information is written in a conversational style and is mercifully free of textbook jargon, so it is easy to understand without any prior knowledge, but not patronizing for those who may know more. Molony employs a fair share of wit, and although there are plenty of story inclusions, most of the book presents how ranching operates beyond its history and future, and the impact of ostriches on culture, fashion, industry, and even science. We even learn what they taste like and their role in ancient Roman arena games. Overall, this is a brilliantly insightful and well-written guide, and loads of fun to read. Recommended.
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