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Buteo Book Club: June 2026 Discussion Questions

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Your Location (city, state, &/or country - whatever you're comfortable sharing!)

Here are the 5 discussion questions we've posed for responding to The Company of Owls. You can fill in answers to as many or as few of these questions as you like! Write as much or as little as you like. If you prefer to share handwritten notes or a record voice note instead of typing into this form, scroll down and use the "file upload" section.

Polly Atkin observes owls in the area surrounding her home. What kind of relationship do you have with your local patch? Is there a bird species you've observed closely or gotten to know intimately because of regular proximity?

Atkin also writes about how human activity has changed the place where she and the tawny owls live. How does learning about the impacts of development on owls and other wildlife make you feel? Have you witnessed habitat changes where you live?

In addition to her own observations, Atkin learns much about owls from reading - everything from Romantic poetry to scientific monographs. What is another book that has taught you something important about birds or nature? How have your own observations and experiences affirmed or challenged what you've read about birds in books?

The back of the book poses several questions: When should a human intervene? When should nature take its course? What do the owls know that we do not? Tell us about the answers you found in the text.

The author of this book is also a poet. Is there a lyrical description or particular sentence that stuck out to you? Share a favorite quote!

Anything else you'd like to share?

If you prefer to share a photo of your handwritten notes or to record a voice note instead of typing responses into this form, upload the file here.

Optional bonus: if you want to share a photo (a selfie of you with the book, your book + coffee, an owl you've seen, or anything else you'd like fellow book club members to see!) upload it here.