American Owls Hardcover Journal — Alexander Wilson 1808 American Ornithology Classic & Bonaparte Illustrations

Alexander Wilson (1766–1813), a Scottish-born weaver who emigrated to America and taught himself ornithology, produced American Ornithology (1808–1814) — the first comprehensive scientific study of North American birds, predating Audubon’s more celebrated work by two decades. The front cover presents Wilson’s hand-coloured engraving of three owl species — the Northern Hawk Owl, the Great Gray Owl, and the Little Owl — set against dogwood branches, each rendered with the precision of a scientist and the sensitivity of an artist; the back cover presents Plate XIII from Charles Lucian Bonaparte’s continuation in the Edinburgh Journal of Natural History (1835) — Napoleon’s nephew and a distinguished naturalist in his own right — documenting the Barred Owl, Burrowing Owl, Northern Hawk-Owl, and Barn Owl with the same meticulous hand-coloured engraving technique, a Scottish immigrant and a French aristocrat united by their devotion to the birds of the New World.

Read the full story →

Product Details

• Format: Hardcover journal
• Pages: 150 lined pages (75 sheets) with perforations for easy removal
• Binding: Casewrap sewn binding — flexible and lay-flat
• Dimensions: 5.75 × 8 inches
• Weight: 250 g
• Cover: Matte laminated full-wrap print

Perfect For

• Birders, ornithology enthusiasts, and owl admirers
• Wildlife biologists and field researchers documenting North American raptors
• Natural history collectors and early American science enthusiasts
• Gift for anyone captivated by the beauty, science, and mystery of owls
• Students and researchers of the history of American ornithology and natural history illustration
• Nature journalers drawn to the hand-coloured engraving tradition of Wilson and Bonaparte