Today is the birthday of one of the most influential natural science artists; John James Audubon (1785-1851). Known for his illustrations of North American birds in natural settings as well as natural history notes for each, Audubon influenced many generations of naturalists, including Charles Darwin. My grandparents hung two large reproductions of plates from his Birds of America series in our family cottage, and they are some of my earliest memories regarding art.

As an homage to John James Audubon, I thought I’d share a photo of the American Kestrel.

American Kestrel - Falco sparverius

Audubon included this species in his account, and it’s one of my favourite images.

Thanks to John James Audubon there are a lot more people interested in the natural world. If you’ve been inspired by his work, why not make a donation to the National Audubon Society as a birthday present!

Must click – Google’s tribute to Audubon