Allen's Hummingbird Selasphorus sasin

Named for Charles Andrew Allen (1841-1930) a Massachusetts carpenter and amateur ornithologist who developed an allergy to saw dust and moved to California in 1873 to work as a timber guard. In his spare time he collected for number of ornithologists including Henry Henshaw (1850-1930) on the staff of the US Bureau of Ethnology.

Allen collected this bird for Henshaw in 1877, who named it for him in appreciation. Ornithologists later determined the bird had been discovered almost 50 years earlier by Lesson (see below) but the common name was retained.

Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna

Named for Anna De Belle Massena (1806-1896), wife of Prince Victor Massena, the Duke of Rivoli, and son of a marshal of France under Napoleon. Natural history collecting was a popular activity supported by many upper-class Europeans in the 18th century as evidence of one's good taste and progressive outlook. Audubon met Anna in Paris in 1828 and apparently found her quite enchanting also, describing her as, "Beautiful. . . extremely graceful and polite."

French naturalist Rene Primevere Lesson (1794-1849), who named the bird, discovered the first specimen among several birds collected for Prince Victor's private collection. Lesson named another hummingbird, the Blue-throated, after his wife Clemence.

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Audubon's Warbler Dendroica coronata

This was once thought a separate species, but now is known to be just a form of the Yellow-rumped Warbler. It is ironic the man who named so many North American birds for others, has no common North American bird named for himself. John Kirk Townsend, a Philadelphia ornithologist and Audubon friend, discovered the "Audubon" form of the warbler on a trip West in 1834 with a party of settlers and missionaries. Food became so scarce on the trip people started eating his specimens. He only managed to save about 70, but they included this subspecies. Townsend was unlucky all of his life--see Townsend's Solitaire.

John James Audubon (1785- 1851), America's best-known artist/ornithologist, was born in Haiti, the son of a French sea captain. He trained in art in France and came to America in 1802. For a time Audubon helped manage a family-owned plantation near Philadelphia, but he was a poor businessman. Audubon was more interested in painting and observing nature.

J. J. Audubon at age 65

In 1812 Adubon moved to Henderson, Kentucky, then on the western frontier, to open a general store. He had plenty of free time for hunting and painting, and turned himself into a skilled woodsman and painter. In 1810 Alexander Wilson walked into his store seeking to sell a subscription to a new series of bird paintings. They compared artwork. This chance meeting changed the course of both men's lives--it showed Audubon how he could turn his hobby into a career; it showed Wilson he had a potential competitor and spurred him into an exhausting and ultimately fatal pace to finish his series. Comparing Audubon and Wilson's paintings.

French naturalist Rene Primevere Lesson (1794-1849) named this shearwater in Audubon's honor. Audubon was as, and is, celebrated in France as he is in the US.

Audubon discovered 34 new bird species and subspecies. Twenty three (23) are named for friends-- Bachman, Nuttal and Townsend more than once.

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Bachman's Warbler Vermivora bachmanii

Rev. John Bachman (1790-1874)

Audubon named two birds to honor his friend and colleague the Reverend John Bachman. Bachman who was a collecting companion of Alexander Wilson in his youth, met Audubon in 1831. They collaborated on number of important bird studies.

Two of Audubon's sons married two of Bachman's daughters, though both women died at a young age. Bachman also wrote the text for Audubon's successor work to Birds of America--Quadrupeds of America. It was a difficult collaboration. Audubon urged his friend to cut corners and Bachman, ever a stickler for details, delayed publication endlessly.

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Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii

Spencer Baird (1823-1887)

Named by Elliot Coues to honor Spencer Fullerton Baird, Assistant Director of the Smithsonian Institution for 28 years, and Director for 11 years. Audubon named a sparrow for him. Baird first wrote to Audubon in 1840. The 17 year-old boy described two flycatchers he had collected which Audubon had him send. Both were new to Audubon and science.

After graduating from Dickinson College in 1842, and securing a position of Professor of Natural History, Baird married Mary Churchill, the daughter of the Inspector-General of the US Army. In 1847 he became the assistant secretary of the Smithsonian, thanks in part to a strong recommendation from Audubon. It was through his wife's influence that Baird ensured that all of the Army surgeons assigned to various posts and to the various government-sponsored railroad and boundary surveys, were also amateur ornithologists and natural historians committed to collecting specimens for the Smithsonian.

Elliot Coues (1842-1899)

Ornithologist Elliot Coues, (pronounced "cows")(1842-1899) named the sandpiper after Baird. Coues was one of the founders of the American Ornithologists' Union. He trained as a surgeon and joined the Army, becoming one of the many Spencer Baird collectors.

Coues was strong supporter for the rights of Native Americans and women. He is also famous for his role in the Sparrow War which broke out in 1874 between supporters and opponents of the House Sparrow which was becoming a huge pest in Eastern cities. (see Dr. Thomas Brewer)

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Photo credits:

Stokes Field Guide to Birds by Donald and Lillian Stokes, Little, Brown and Company, 1996
Bachman's Warbler from National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds, Eastern Region, Alfred A. Knopf, 1994