If the birds are in trouble, so are we - Roger Tory Peterson

T

he late Roger Tory Peterson was an American naturalist, ornithologist, artist, and educator, and was held to be one of the founding inspirations for the 20th-century environmental movement.

In 1934, Peterson published his seminal “Guide to the Birds”, which was the first modern field guide. It sold out its first printing of 2‚000 copies in one week, and subsequently went through a further six editions.

Peterson, who done more than anyone else, it has been claimed, to create public interest in living creatures, has won every major American award for natural science, ornithology, and conservation, and has had The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History in Jamestown, New York is named in his honour.

He said:

“Birds are indicators of the environment. If they are

in trouble, we know we'll soon be in trouble.”