Rosemary Mosco is a multi-hyphenate who pairs serious science with humor. She is known, in part, for her webcomic, Bird and Moon, where each comic strip brilliantly utilizes jokes to teach about nature. Her latest book, The Birding Dictionary, focuses on birding terms and the witty definitions really stick in your mind. And if you ever had any questions about pigeons flit through your head as you watched these birds strut past you – or even if you hadn’t – you need to read the heavily researched yet accessible A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching: Getting to Know the World's Most Misunderstood Bird. Not only is Rosemary an acclaimed author and cartoonist, but her talks and workshops are in demand. For the 2025 Urban Birding Festival, Rosemary is the keynote speaker and will also lead two sessions.
Photo of Rosemary Mosco by Adrianne Mathiowetz
The Chicago Bird Alliance was lucky enough to have the opportunity to interview Rosemary, and we are excited to share her responses:
We are honored to have you as the keynote speaker for the 2025 Urban Birding Festival! Additionally, thank you for leading two sessions and for designing the wonderful festival T-shirt. What are you looking forward to at the Urban Birding Festival?
I've always lived in cities and I love urban birds. I'm excited to go to an urban bird festival where city birds get the love and appreciation they deserve!
You’ve written about and drawn an array of flora and fauna, but much of your work is focused on birds. In fact, one of your definitions for ‘bird’ in The Birding Dictionary is “A type of animal that is, by all scientific and objective measures, the best one”. What do you find special about birds?
I guess I find birds to be personally relatable because they're a mix of earnest and anxious. I also love that I can go anywhere in the world and find birds to observe, whether I'm in the middle of the ocean or up on the tundra or deep in a city or out in a desert.
The Birding Dictionary, written and illustrated by Rosemary Mosco
As you are an experienced birder, I would guess that using the terms in The Birding Dictionary are second nature to you. What was your process to create humorous definitions for, by my count, 222 birding terms?
I started by writing down a list of all the terms I could think of. Then I did some research to fill in any words I'd forgotten or wasn't aware of - for instance, someone suggested that I should include the term "gashawk," which is slang for an airplane, and I hadn't heard that term before. Once I had my list, I tried to come up with funny jokes for all of those terms. That was the hardest part. My editor Danny Cooper, who is great, helped me figure out which jokes were actually funny and which ones needed a lot more work.
A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching: Getting to Know the World's Most Misunderstood Bird is a deeply researched yet entertaining book that covers everything you’d want to know about Columba livia, from behavioral traits to different breeds to the domestication and rewilding of this fascinating animal. These ubiquitous city dwellers, however, do not engender positive feelings in many people. How would you convince Chicagoans, including those who love other birds, to embrace (or at least tolerate) the pigeon?
First, I'd get them a really delicious snack or a very tall beverage so they'd feel compelled to listen without talking much. Then I'd tell them about the history of the species. I'd explain that these birds were domesticated thousands of years ago and imported to North America in the 1600s, so they're basically stray cats or dogs. Then I'd share some cute behavioral notes. I'd talk about how pigeons mate for life, how they make milk for their young, and how they applaud for themselves after they mate. I'm not sure if the person would still be listening to me at this point, but hopefully if so they'd appreciate pigeons a bit more, or at least enjoy the snack.
A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching, written and illustrated by Rosemary Mosco
Besides pigeons, are there any other birds that permanently/temporarily live in Chicago who are underrated, unfairly despised, or overlooked?
So many! Gulls. Grackles. I'd even say that House Sparrows deserve appreciation, or at least understanding, since we've forgotten their history - people imported them to the US very intentionally to act as a biocontrol. All common birds need more love.
Regarding your comics on climate change, some use humor to drive home a strong point (e.g. ‘Villian’), and some are soberly thought-provoking (e.g. ‘On Thin Ice’). How do you decide how you want your messaging to come across?
More and more, I try to share my own personal experiences rather than just general emotions and facts. Climate messaging is tough, but it's also so important. I think everyone should be telling their own stories of climate change. Research tells us that most people are very concerned about this issue. We just keep quiet about it and assume that nobody cares. We should be loud.
With a strong body of work already established, what is next for you?
Thank you! It feels more random than strong. I have a few more books in the works, and I'll keep making comics for as long as people find them helpful and funny!
A zine illustrated by Rosemary Mosco, and created by Beth Kelley Gillogly and Rosemary Mosco
We cannot wait to see what Rosemary comes out with next! Check out her website for details on what she has already created, including all the books she’s written and a compendium of her comics.