In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge David Attenborough tells amazing, true-life stories of our fine feathered friends, the birds. We'll also hear about the miracles of migration — such as why the bar-tailed godwit gorges before take-off. And a history of a bird that doesn't fly — that beloved lawn ornament, the plastic pink flamingo.

Biologist and film-maker David Attenborough tells Jim Fleming stories from "The Life of Birds" - his new book and PBS special. He says birds are models of physiological efficiency and have successfully colonized the whole planet, thriving in an astonishing variety of eco-systems.

Ornithologist Bill Evans tells Jim Fleming about the disastrous effect the dramatic increase in the numbers of communications towers is having on bird populations. While tracking nocturnal migrations, Evans recorded evidence of the fatal collisions called "towerkill." Also, Scott Weidensaul is fascinated by bird migration. He tells Judith Strasser stories from his book "Living on the Wind: Across the Globe with Migratory Birds."

Everything you always wanted to know about the pink plastic flamingo! Courtesy of nature writer Jennifer Price, author of "Flight Maps: Adventures with Nature in Modern America." Price tells Judith Strasser that pink plastic flamingos reveal a lot about how Americans think about nature. Also, English hat merchant Harry Howard tells Jim Fleming about his world-wide travels in search of a birding record. Howard and a friend set out to see a bird from each bird family in one year, journeying from tropical rainforests to snow-covered mountain peaks to do it.

Distribution dates:

• week of 07/11/99 - hour 2