On the Wing #39: (BRO) Peterson Vs. Bailey

It's time for the next round in the Babe Ruth of Ornithology. For those of you who are wondering, this will carry over into the new year because what use would a tournament be if it stopped at the end of December?!

Anyway, this weeks challengers are, the Messiah of birding himself, Roger Tory Peterson and one of the most successful women naturalists in American history, Florence Augusta Merriam Bailey! Let the battle commence!

"Feed the birds. Tuppence a bag. Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag..."

Roger Tory Peterson (1908-1996) is regarded by many in the American birding community as being the greatest birder that ever lived. People can try to imitate him, but the man staked his claim on the work of other greats in the field of ornithology to provide an easily understood platform with which beginners, experts, and everyone in between could utilize in order to properly identify birds in the field. He got his inspiration to create his own field guide after repeated disappointments with the field guides of his day. They just couldn't fulfill what was the pressing issue at the time; reliable and efficient field identification under typical field conditions with skittish targets that don't like being gawked at. With his artistic talents and simple, yet effective details concerning proper identification of a given species, the publication of his revolutionary "Field Guide to the Birds" became an overnight sensation. A true mentor to all who admired him and sought counsel with him, some of the great birders of our current time including Pete Dunne, Kenn Kaufman, and David Sibley sought his guidance on all matters bird, bird identification, and the pursuit of those wild creatures that bring us such joy in our hearts.

His impact on the birding world is so universal that the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History was built and opened in his honor as well as an award that was named after him. The Roger Tory Peterson Award is given to those who've dedicated a lifetime of promoting birding to the wider public. He also earned several awards himself including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, membership to the Linnaean Society, and several Swedish-American organizations. Paul R. Ehrlich, writer of "The Birder's Handbook: A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds", wrote the following:

"In this century, no one has done more to promote an interest in living creatures than Roger Tory Peterson, the inventor of the modern field guide."

And for that we are so very, very thankful.

We need more women naturalists like Mrs. Bailey. Kicking ass and taking names!

Florence Augusta Merriam Bailey (1863-1948) was and still is one of the most well known women ornithologists that have graced the North American continent. Sister to Clinton Hart Merriam who is remembered as a given name to a subspecies of Wild Turkey called Merriam's Wild Turkey (Meliagris gallopavo meriami). She is best remembered for popularizing recreational birding and promoting the ban on plumes and feathers used for women's fashion in the mid to late 19th century. Born with a love for nature that was nurtured by her brothers and father, she studied at Smith College and Stanford University and was unique for her time as she studied bird behavior based on observations of live birds and not the skins and collections that occupied so many other ornithologists cabinets and studies at the time. She pioneered the first field guide aimed at beginners with simple texts and drawings designed to help the budding naturalist to easily identify the common species found in their area.

Her work with the conservation of birds focused on promoting legislation and rallying to pass laws designed to protect high value species such as egrets, grebes, and other waterbirds from persecution on their breeding grounds. After marrying Vernon Bailey (a collecting partner and friend to her brother Clinton), they traveled the country together and promoted natural history study to many a young audience. She was the first woman associate fellow (and eventually a full-fledged fellow) of the American Ornithologists Union (promoting the well being, humane care, and proper treatment of twitchers, listers, and other bird nerds since 1883) and first woman recipient of the Brewster Medal (which is awarded to the person(s) with an extensive body of literature published on birds in the Western Hemisphere). In addition to that extensive resume, she was also a founding member of the Audubon Society in the District of Columbia and taught basic ornithology classes to new and established members.

Point Tabulation Time:

Peterson:

• Created an easy to read and use field guide system that revolutionized modern birding and bird study. (1)
• Gifted with an eye for artistic talent and teaching, he inspired many of today's birding ambassadors and experts. (1)
• His "Peterson Identification System" with its use of simple arrows, minimal text, and placement on a plain background allowed ease of use and simplicity that many field guides that were available back then couldn't match. (1)
• Literally a household name when it comes to modern, easy to use field guides and his influence on birding itself. (1)
•  For his work in ornithology and conservation he was awarded many honorary doctorates, was a member of the Linnaean Society, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. (1)

Bailey:

• One of the foremost women naturalists of her day (especially given the opportunities that were available to most women back in her time) (1)
•  Studied bird behavior based on observations from life and not on museum collections or specimens (1)
• Wrote one of the less well known, but equally revolutionary field guides that could be used by the layman for quick and easy identification of common birds (1)
• Promoted natural history study along with her husband Vernon Bailey all across America. (1)
• She worked tirelessly to end the plumage trade that was proving to be deadly for egrets, terns, and other waterbirds (1)
• Formed and taught for the Audubon Society of the District of Columbia (1)
• Was the first woman to receive the Brewster Prize(1)
• Was the first woman member of the American Ornithologists Union (1)

Scores: Peterson - 5/ Bailey - 8

The guru has fallen! There's a new sheriff in town and her name is Bailey! With that conclusive result, Florence Augusta Merriam Bailey moves on to quarterfinals! Tune in next week to see the foreign heavy-weight match up of Salim Ali (India) vs. Konrad Lorenz (Austria)!

Have a great week and as always, happy birding ^_^