A Charisma of Owls – Reviewed by Emma Megan for Readers’ Favorite (December 2025)

A Charisma of Owls is a fantastic book that provides a clear and realistic understanding of what owls are, how many different owl species there are in the world, how widespread they are, why owls have been either a source of fascination or terror in so many cultures, what’s special about them, and how they have remained mostly wild. Author Lynn E. Barber answers questions like, “Is an owl wise?” “Why are owls so popular?” or “What makes an owl seem so different from all other birds?” The book covers owl species found in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and beyond and include descriptions of each owl’s appearance, the sounds it produces, its breeding and nesting habits, its preferred habitat, its food, its life span, and the author’s personal stories about searching for these owls, along with an overview of owls from around the world, and more.

Packed with detailed and reliable information from the author’s own experiences, A Charisma of Owls is a helpful, comprehensive, enjoyable read for any owl lover. Lynn E. Barber offers excellent insights into the world’s most enigmatic birds that have fascinated us throughout human history. I especially enjoyed learning about the Northern Hawk Owl and the Spotted Owl and reading more on owls in literature and how to find them. Whether you’re just discovering owls or already obsessed with them, this book is the perfect way to feed your curiosity about creatures such as the Elf Owl, the Boreal Owl, the Snowy Owl, the Whiskered Screech-Owl, the Brown Hawk Owl, the Stygian Owl, and many more.