The author recounts personal experiences maintaining an aviary and other small pets, presenting episodic chapters on owls, robins, mockingbirds, pigeons, canaries, rabbits, rats, hummingbirds, and more. Each chapter mixes practical advice on feeding, housing, and breeding with lively observations of individual animal behavior and temperament, amusing mishaps, rescues, and the challenges of raising young. The collection emphasizes compassionate, hands-on care, patience, and the varied personalities of animals, offering both instructive tips and affectionate vignettes for readers interested in pets and birdlife.