Ornithology in Special Collections

Brown University's Special Collections owns a substantial and diverse set of ornithology-related materials, including John James Audubon's iconic double-elephant folio Birds of America (1827-1838), President Theodore Roosevelt's bird lists, hard-to-find publications on New England birds, magazines dating back to the 1880s, and first editions of some of ornithology's foundational texts. While the majority of these materials are finadable in the Brown University Library's online catalog, they are scattered and can be challenging to locate. This is partly a result of the diverse origins of these holdings. The Collection of Significant Books in the History of Science, a donation by Brown alum and biologist Albert E. Lownes, is home to many of Special Collections' rarest books on birds. Other resources have been given to Special Collections by donors such as Audubon Society of Rhode Island, St. Martin's Press, Walter H. Snell and Esther D. Snell, Harry Lyman Koopman, and Hon. Theron Metcalf.

The following research guide compiles Special Collections' ornithology materials in order to aid in discovery and access. For the purposes of this guide, ornithology is understood as the study, both scientific and amateur, of bird biology, behavior, biodiversity, and identification. Natural history works that look more broadly at plants and animals have been incorporated where appropriate. However, some subjects have had be excluded, e.g. poetry about birds and game reports.

The guide breaks Special Collections' holdings into four groupings:

• New England Birdlife: resources relating particularly to birds in the New England states.
• Bird Guides: books on birds designed particularly to aid observational identification in the field.
• North American Ornithology: this section serves as a catch-all for resources not falling into the previous two categories.
• Global Ornithology: likewise, this section lists resources that focus on birds outside North America or take a global perspective on ornithology. 

The guide is meant for a wide audience, but it will be of particular interest to birders and ornithologists familiar with New England birds. While the major works of ornithology have been widely reproduced and digitized, older resources on regional birds have unfortunately not had the same legacy. They are incredibly valuable records that reflect historic shifts both in bird biodiversity and the observation of birds. It is our hope that Special Collections' ornithological materials will be a point of reference in the face of extinction and climate change.

Use of Brown's Special Collections is free and open to the public. Reading room appointments must be made at least three days in advance. More information can be found here.