Coming IN APRIL 2026

from Mountaineers Books

My newest book is a tribute a charismatic and endearing seabird with a name too awkward for a book’s cover: the Pigeon Guillemot. Had this amazing bird been given a name like “puffin,” it would have been a household word by now. This bird is not a pigeon, but early naturalists thought it resembled one in shape and size. It’s last name, “Guillemot” is pronounced gill-uh-mott. The Pigeon Guillemot is related to puffins, murres, auklets, and other birds in the family of web-footed, diving seabirds known as alcids. This is perhaps the least interesting thing about this bird.

I wrote The Bird with the Flaming Red Feet after more than a decade of studying it as a volunteer community scientist—one of 250 collecting data on the guillemot’s breeding behavior along the shores of Puget Sound, Washington. What began for me as once-a-week data collection morphed into a full-on exploration of the guillemot’s life story. My book weaves together best-available science, field observation, and community storytelling to paint a vivid portrait of this special species and the ecosystems, both natural and human, surrounding it. It’s a deep dive into the guillemot’s behaviors, quirky traits, and ecological relationships. My story is about the Pigeon Guillemot and the passionate community scientists who have built a unique community around caring for and studying this vibrant bird across the seasons of the year.

Pre-order your copy of The Bird with Flaming Red Feet through these booksellers.

Mountaineers Books Browsers Bookshop Bookshop.org Barnes & Noble Amazon

ADVANCE PRAISE for The Bird with the Flaming Red Feet

“You may never have heard of a Pigeon Guillemot, but after reading The Bird with Flaming Red Feet, you’ll fall in love with these pudgy little seabirds. A lovely blend of natural history and memoir, this fun and enjoyable book recounts one woman’s infatuation, as well as reveals how anyone can make important contributions to conservation.” —Scott Weidensaul, author of The Return of the Oystercatcher

“I love everything about this glorious tribute to the Pigeon Guillemot. Swimming effortlessly between lyrical prose and meticulous research, The Bird with Flaming Red Feet captures the wildness, complexity, and charm of these extraordinary birds. Beyond this individual species, Ruth draws us into a wider story—connecting sea, cliffs, curiosity, care, and community—and celebrates what it means to pay attention, to watch, and to fall in love with the wild world. Readers will emerge enchanted by guillemots and the ecological connections that bind us all.” —Lyanda Lynn Haupt, author of Crow Planet

“The Bird with Flaming Red Feet shines with creative wordplay and storytelling. Centered on a single species of seabird, the Pigeon Guillemot, this book is about finding joy in the natural world, and the huge rewards that come from learning to pay attention.” —Kim Heacox, author of The Only Kayak

“I very well remember discovering the funny and interesting Pigeon Guillemots soon after I first saw the Pacific Ocean on a road trip after college. I instantly fell in love, because who can resist these flitty, flirty little coastal companions—and I instantly fell in love with this beautiful, companionable book about them. I wish this book had been written much sooner, but it was well worth the wait.” —Carl Safina, author of Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe

“Finally, a book about Pigeon Guillemots! Engaging, informative, and imbued with deep affection for its subject, The Bird with Flaming Red Feet is a classic natural history of a classic Northwest seabird.” —Thor Hanson, author of Feathers and Close to Home

“A wonderfully inspiring story of how a citizen science project on a little-known but charismatic seabird transforms the author into a knowledgeable auk enthusiast and seabird conservationist.” —Tim Birkhead, author of The Great Auk: Its Extraordinary Life, Hideous Death, and Mysterious Afterlife