4 Facts About John Audubon

1. Although the Audubon Society, which was created to protect birds and their natural habitats was named after him, John James Audubon shot and killed all of the birds he drew and painted. He was quoted as saying: "The moment a bird was dead, no matter how beautiful it had been in life, the pleasure of possession became blunted for me."

2. Although John James Audubon was globally famous for his work on American birds was not originally an American citizen. He was born in what today is known as Haiti. At the time it was a French colony. In 1803, at the age of 18 he immigrated to the United States using a fake passport so to avoid being drafted into the Napoleonic Wars. In 1812 he became an American citizen.

3. John James Audubon tied colored string on the legs of birds to track their migration. He was the first person to do this to birds which led to the discovery of annual nesting places and other scientific studies of birds.

4. John James Audubon used to wake up 3a.m. to go out hunting or researching birds. He often returned around mid-day and drew the birds he killed.

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