Audubon

April 26, 2009

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Profile America — Sunday, April 26th. A man destined to become one of America’s premier naturalists and painters was born on this day in 1785 — John James Audubon. Coming to the U.S. from France, the young Audubon was immediately taken with the plant and animal life of America, especially its birds. After 14 years of field research and refining his artistic skills, he produced his masterpiece, a volume of bird illustrations called “Birds of America.” The book, measuring just over two by three feet, contains life size, hand-colored prints of nearly 500 bird species. Today, many parks, museums and conservation organizations across the U.S. are named in his honor. Nearly 56 million Americans regularly feed wild birds. Profile America is completing its 12th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2009, p. 235
www.audubon.org
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009, t. 1216
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2009edition.html