In the multifaceted world of art and ornithology, famous names such as John Hames Audubon and David Allen Sibley are often associated with magnificent paintings of bird species of North America. Meanwhile, a lesser-known amateur naturalist named Alexander Wilson is credited as the creator of the first comprehensive account of America’s birdlife - The Natural History of the Birds of the United States (now known as American Ornithology) - published more than a decade before John Hames Audubon.
Although Wilson was an unknown naturalist at the time of his death - maybe because he was not as aesthetically skilled as some of his successors - he made an indelible impact on conservation history. He had no artistic training. With sheer determination, his remarkable accomplishment in documenting birds was completed in seven years, resulting in the nine-volume American Ornithology. The majority of naturalists of his period based their descriptions on dead specimens; Wilson, on the other hand, performed thorough studies of birds in their natural habitat.
As we celebrate “Draw a Picture of a Bird Day,” let’s remember the contributions of not only Alexander Wilson but all the ornithologists and naturalists who have documented wildlife for our learning and enjoyment.
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