ISBN: 9780691044026

In the decades following the Civil War--as industrialization, urbanization, and economic expansion increasingly reshaped the landscape--many Americans began seeking adventure and aestheti… Mehr…

In the decades following the Civil War--as industrialization, urbanization, and economic expansion increasingly reshaped the landscape--many Americans began seeking adventure and aesthetic gratification through avian pursuits. By the turn of the century, hundreds of thousands of middle-and upper-class devotees were rushing to join Audubon societies, purchase field guides, and keep records of the species they encountered in the wild. Mark Barrow vividly reconstructs this story not only through the experiences of birdwatchers, collectors, conservationists, and taxidermists, but also through those of a relatively new breed of bird enthusiast: the technically oriented ornithologist. In exploring how ornithologists struggled to forge a discipline and profession amidst an explosion of popular interest in natural history, "A Passion for Birds provides the first book-length history of American ornithology from the death of John James Audubon to the Second World War.Barrow shows how efforts to form a scientific community distinct from popular birders met with only partial success. The founding of the American Ornithologists' Union in 1883 and the subsequent expansion of formal educational and employment opportunities in ornithology marked important milestones in this campaign. Yet by the middle of the twentieth century, when ornithology had finally achieved the status of a modern profession, its practitioners remained dependent on the services of birdwatchers and other amateur enthusiasts. Environmental issues also loom large in Barrow's account as he traces areas of both cooperation and conflict between ornithologists and wildlife conservationists.Recounting a colorful story based on theinteractions among a wide variety of bird-lovers, this book will interest historians of science, environmental historians, ornithologists, birdwatchers, and anyone curious about the historical roots of today's birding boom. Media > Book, [PU: Princeton University Press]<

1998, ISBN: 9780691044026

326 Seiten, Sprache: Englisch Hardcover Gut: 1998 edition with green/red dust jacket This is a history of American ornithology, from the death of John James Audubon to World War II. The b… Mehr…

326 Seiten, Sprache: Englisch Hardcover Gut: 1998 edition with green/red dust jacket This is a history of American ornithology, from the death of John James Audubon to World War II. The book shows how efforts to form a scientific community distinct from popular birders met with only partial success. The founding of the American Ornithologist's Union in 1883 and the subsequent expansion of formal educational and employment opportunities in ornithology marked important milestones in this campaign, Yet, by the middle of the 20th century, when ornithology had finally achieved ther status of a modern profession, its practitioners remained dependant on the services of birdwatchers and other amateur enthusiasts. Environmental issues are also discussed in the account as the author traces areas of both co-operation and conflict between ornithologists and wildlife conservationists. Versand D: 4,95 EUR , [PU:Princeton University Press]<