John James Audubon - Legacy

Legacy

Audubon's influence on ornithology and natural history was far reaching. Nearly all later ornithological works were inspired by his artistry and high standards. Charles Darwin quoted Audubon three times in On the Origin of Species and also in later works. Despite some errors in field observations, he made a significant contribution to the understanding of bird anatomy and behavior through his field notes. Birds of America is still considered one of the greatest examples of book art. Audubon discovered 25 new species and 12 new subspecies.

• He was elected to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Linnaean Society, and the Royal Society in recognition of his contributions.
• The homestead Mill Grove in Audubon, PA is open to the public and contains a museum presenting all his major works, including Birds of America.
• The Audubon Museum at John James Audubon State Park in Henderson, Kentucky houses many of Audubon's original watercolors, oils, engravings and personal memorabilia.
• In 1905, the National Audubon Society was incorporated and named in his honor. Its mission "is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds..."
• He was honored by the United States Postal Service with a 22¢ Great Americans series postage stamp.
• On December 6 2010, a copy of Birds of America was sold at a Sotheby's auction for $11.5 million, a record price for a single printed book.
• On 26 April 2011, Google celebrated his 226th birthday by displaying a special Google Doodle on its global homepage.