Bird Brother

A Falconer's Journey and the Healing Power of Wildlife

By: Rodney Stotts, Kate Pipkin - contributor

Narrated by: James Fouhey

Rodney grew up during the crack epidemic, with guns, drugs, and the threat of incarceration an accepted part of daily life for nearly everyone he knew. To rent his own apartment, he needed a paycheck - something the money from dealing drugs didn't provide. For that, he took a position in 1992 with a new nonprofit, the Earth Conservation Corps. Gradually, Rodney fell in love with the work to restore and conserve the polluted Anacostia River that flows through DC. As conditions along the river improved, he helped to reintroduce bald eagles to the region and befriended an injured Eurasian eagle-owl named Mr. Hoots, the first of many birds whose respect he would work hard to earn.

Bird Brother is a story about pursuing dreams against all odds and the importance of second chances. Rodney's life was nearly upended when he was arrested on drug charges in 2002. The jail sentence sharpened his resolve to get out of the hustling life. With the fierceness of the raptors he had admired for so long, he began to train to become a master falconer and to develop his own raptor education program and sanctuary. Rodney's son Mike, a DC firefighter, has also begun his journey to being a master falconer, with his own kids cheering him along the way.

©2022 Rodney Stotts and Kate Pipkin (P)2022 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

A story to help keep dreams alive

Rodney has a very unique story. His story is fascinating and I appreciate how he has dedicated his life to helping others and nature. I want to be a master falconer one day and his story give me hope for accomplishing this goal in the future.

Touch By This Story

Wonderful book about urban life, hope, and redemption. I look forward to introducing many young people to Mr. Stotts.

Rapturous

A compelling and engaging story very well written and narrated. Great imagery. Excellent pace. Wonderful life lessons.

This is a must read

If you love animals of any kind this book is for you. I seldom find a book I can't put down, paper or audio, but this is one. Rodney's story is truly inspirational. This is a man who pulled himself out of the streets and made a better life for himself and is helping bring other off those same streets

Rodney talks about not caring for people much but if what he does is not caring than I don't know what is. He's not the "cocktail party" kind of man, he's much more. He takes his love and knowledge about wildlife and nature and brings it to people who need it most. He not only teaches about birds and animals. He teaches about self-respect.

My biggest disappointment about this book is that it's too short. My hope is that it's the first of many.

I finished this book about 15 minutest ago and I'm glad it's audible because I can start it again while I go make my lunch.

Rodney, I've never touched one of your birds but through your words your birds have touched me.

Thank you.

A soaring tale!

I loved hearing about Rodney's journey from inner city despair to fresh clean air and becoming a Master Falconer. Truly inspirational. He tells the gritty truth yet always hold out for his hopes and dreams. I wish every inner city kid could have a chance to follow their dreams like Rodney did.

Incredible true story

If you like true stories that make you smile, beam with pride and occasionally choke back tears of empathy then this book is for you. Rodney Stotts’s memoir is incredible. From the inner city of Washington DC and dealing drugs, to meeting mentors, finding falconery and following a dream his story is worth listening to more than once. What resonates most with me is his desire to continually grow and give back to the community through his birds, THAT is a master falconer above and beyond.

This is one of the unexpected stories that caught my attention by surprise.

This is a well written book. With a wonderful story that exposes the inner city life of our countries capital, and all the magnificent intricacies of nature and the concrete jungle. The program to remold the young minds to a productive adult citizens of this great nation is a plus and the restoration of the predatory birds to the wild is a national treasure.