Paul Johnsgard


Paul Austin Johnsgard was an ornithologist, artist and emeritus professor at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. His works include nearly fifty books including several monographs, principally about the waterfowl and cranes.

Childhood and education

Born in Christine, North Dakota, a small village around 20 miles south of Fargo, he was introduced to the study of birds by a distant cousin who was a game warden. He spent these early years taking part in duck counts. After high school and junior college at Wahpeton, he enrolled at North Dakota State University to major in zoology. He then moved to Washington State University for his master's degree, encouraged by a professor who suggested that he could have a career in ornithology. His master's study was on the impact of the construction of O'Sullivan Dam to wetland habitats. Apart from the data collected and his interpretation, it included his pen sketches. This was published in The Condor and the article attracted the attention of Charles Sibley who invited him to consider a Ph.D. at Cornell University with him, with his work focusing on the phylogeny of six ducks.

Career

After completing his graduate degree, Johnsgard moved to England at the Wildfowl Trust at Gloucestershire founded by Sir Peter Scott. Over the course of two years, he produced his first book, the Handbook of Waterfowl Behaviour, which was published by Cornell University in 1965. He is considered one of the most prolific authors of ornithology books.

Selected publications

  • Grouse and Quails of North America. 1973.
  • The Plovers, Sandpipers and Snipes of the World.
  • The Grouse of the World. 1983.
  • The Hummingbirds of North America. 1983, 2nd ed. 1997, .
  • The Platte: Channels in Time. 1984, 2nd ed.
  • The Pheasants of the World. 1986. 2nd. ed. 1999.
  • Diving Birds of North America. 1987.
  • The Quails, Partridges and Francolins of the World. 1988.
  • North American Owls: Biology and Natural History. 1988. 2nd. ed. 2002.
  • Hawks, Eagles and Falcons of North America: Biology and Natural History. 1990.
  • Bustards, Hemipodes and Sandgrouse: Birds of Dry Places. 1991.
  • Cormorants, Darters and Pelicans of the World. 1993.
  • Arena Birds: Sexual Selection and Behavior. 1994
  • This Fragile Land: A Natural History of the Nebraska Sandhills. 1995.
  • Ruddy Ducks and other Stifftails: Their Behavior and Biology. 1996
  • The Avian Brood Parasites: Deception at the Nest. 1997.
  • Trogons and Quetzals of the World. 2000.
  • Prairie Birds: Fragile Splendor in the Great Plains. 2001.
  • . 2001.
  • Grassland Grouse and their Conservation. 2002.
  • Great Wildlife of the Great Plains. 2003.
  • . 2003.
  • Prairie Dog Empire: A Saga of the Shortgrass Prairie. 2004.
  • . 2007.
  • Ancient Voices over America's Wetlands: The Sandhill and Whooping Cranes. 2011.
  • . 2011.
  • 2012.
  • Nebraska's Wetlands: Their Wildlife and Ecology. 2012.
  • Yellowstone Wildlife: Ecology and Natural History of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. 2012.
  • 2012.
  • 2013. 182 pp.
  • 2013.
  • 2013, With Jacqueline R. Canterbury & Helen Downing.
  • 2014. Spanish translation by E. Weir & Karine Gil-Weir of Crane Music
  • 2014.
  • Seasons of the Tallgrass Prairie: A Nebraska Year. 2014.
  • 2015.
  • Natural Treasures of the Great Plains: An Ecological Perspective. 2015. Edited with T. Lynch & J. Phillips.
  • 2015.
  • A Chorus of Cranes. The Cranes of North America and the World. 2015.
  • 2015.
  • 2016.
  • 2016.
  • 2016.
  • 2016.
  • 2017.
  • 2017.
  • . 2017.
  • 2017.
  • 2018
  • 2018.
  • 2018.
  • 2019.
  • 2020.
  • , 2020.
  • Audubon's Lillian Annette Rowe Sanctuary: A Refuge, a River, and a Migration. 2020.
  • Wildlife of Nebraska: A Natural History. 2020.
  • , 2020.
  • 2020. With Josef Kren.