Birdlore : The Iridescent Life of Florence Merriam Bailey

Birdlore: The Iridescent Life of Florence Merriam Bailey is a picture-book biography for ages 4-8 by Jess Keating, illustrated by Devon Holzwarth, telling the true story of the woman who essentially invented bird-watching.

At a time when bird feathers were prized as hat decorations and even scientists studied birds only as specimens in laboratories rather than living creatures in the wild, Florence Merriam Bailey set out to change how people saw birds.

Through nature classes, guidebooks, and guided walks, she showed the public what made birds worth watching and protecting, sparking a shift in attitudes that grew into the bird-watching hobby millions enjoy today.