The most famous work by America's premier ornithological artist, The
Birds of America presented 435 large, hand-colored engravings depicting
more than 1,000 birds of 489 species. John James Audubon's historic
volume, completed in 1838, was succeeded by the smaller lithographic
illustrations of the much more affordable yet highly collectible octavo
edition. This new collection contains 130 select plates from the octavo
version, featuring splendid, scrupulously accurate portraits of the
snowy egret, wild turkey, brown pelican, screech owl, and more.
The birds are identified by both the common names used by Audubon and
their modern equivalents. The culmination of the nature illustrator's
career, these stunning works offer realistic portrayals of American
birds in elegantly spare settings. An informative introduction outlines
the artist's life and his work and provides background on the creation
of the octavo edition.