Discovering the Birds Audubon Missed: Desire in the American Wilderness

Renowned naturalist Kenn Kaufman examines the scientific discoveries of John James Audubon and his artistic and ornithologist peers, shedding light on how their perceptions and understanding of the natural world were shaped by what they saw and what they missed. During the early 1800s, a handful of intrepid men raced to find the last few birds still unknown to science, driven by raging ambition, towering egos, and a veneer of courtesy that concealed fierce competition. At the center of this scientific derby was the famous John James Audubon, whose spectacular bird portraits were not his primary goal, but rather a means to illustrate and write about as many different species as possible, in an effort to outdo his rival, Alexander Wilson.

George Ord, a fan and protégé of Wilson, harbored a bitter grudge against Audubon, accusing him of faking much of his information and scientific claims. While some of Audubon's birds were pure fiction, and some of his writing was invented or plagiarized, other naturalists of the era, including Charles Bonaparte (nephew of Napoleon), John Townsend, and Thomas Nuttall, also became embroiled in the race to understand the natural world – an endeavor that continues to this day.

Despite this intense competition, a few species, including some surprisingly common songbirds, hawks, and sandpipers, managed to evade discovery for years. Kenn Kaufman, a renowned bird expert and artist, explores this period in history from a new angle, considering not only the birds these naturalists discovered, but also the ones they missed. Kaufman has created portraits of the birds that Audubon never saw, attempting to paint them in the artist's own stunning style, as a way of examining the history of natural sciences and nature art.

Through this unique perspective, Kaufman shows how our understanding of birds continues to evolve, even as some mysteries from Audubon's time persist today. The raging ambition, towering egos, and fierce competition that characterized the early days of ornithology have given way to a more collaborative and holistic approach to studying the natural world. Yet, the legacy of these pioneering naturalists, with all their flaws and accomplishments, remains an important part of the ongoing quest to unravel the secrets of the avian world.

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