1980s Y/A book: Sisters named after birds (not Sparrow Delaney)

[Kieran]

Parents of the narrator are birdwatchers and entirely caught up with one another. She (and all her sisters?) are named after birds. At the end of the book, the parents snap out of it and focus on the narrator. This is all I remember!

[Genesistrine]

Was the older sister called Ariel, but after the parents named all the younger children after birds she's usually called Oriole? And this becomes a plot point when a bad/shady guy finds something with the initial A on but doesn't realise it's hers?

[Kieran]

I HONESTLY don't remember. Doesn't ring a bell, but that doesn't mean much ...

[Becca]

Stage Brat by Susan Terris? The main character is Linnet, older sisters are Robin and Lark. I found a blurb that reads: "Now that her older sisters have left, home is just a place occupied by Linnet and her parents. And for all the attention they give her, she might as well not be there."

[SBC]

There is a great list of Characters with Bird Names which may be worth a look - https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

[bookel]

Stage brat by Susan Terris. Free to borrow: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL27736...

Page 18
In the Purcell family we each had our own jobs. Dad’s was to try to unscrew screwed-up patients. Mother’s was banding birds in Bolinas at the Bird Observatory, otherwise known as Bird-O. And my job was to be a good Linnet at school, at home, and at DART.

Page 146
Linnet {laughing aloud). Well, it suits me fine. What’s the matter? Don’t you like the idea of your little bird growing up? You never cared before. Stop listening to me. Stop paying attention. Go back to your patients, your birds, your Scrabble, your gar¬ den, your rug, your walks and quiet little dinners for two. And I, I shall look after myself.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Any updates on your other thread?

Please let us know in THAT thread:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...