Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
The modern study of birds was, in its early years, often driven by passionate amateurs in a localized context.
A History of Oregon Ornithology takes the reader from the Lewis and Clark expedition through the 1950s, then refocuses on how birding and related amateur field observation grew outside the realm of academic and conservation agencies.
Editors Alan Contreras, Vjera Thompson, and Nolan Clements, have assembled chapters discussing the differences and interplay between the amateur and professional study of birds, early birding societies, notable birders, government studies, and books on Oregon birds. It includes significant chapters on Charles Bendire, William L. Finley, Ira Gabrielson, Stanley Jewett, and David B. Marshall. It also notes the sometimes-overlooked contributions of women to our expanding knowledge of western birds. Special attention is paid to the development of seabird observation, the impact of the Internet, and the rise of digital resources for amateur birders.
Intended for readers interested in the history of Oregon, the history of scientific explorations in the west, and the origins of modern birding and field ornithology, A History of Oregon Ornithology offers a detailed and entertaining tour of how birds were first observed and studied by explorers in what is now Oregon.