What initially inspired you to take up birding or ornithology? Was there anyone who was a particular influence?
I was about 14 years old and very active in the Boy Scouts of America. I was very ambitious to become an eagle scout for which one of the requirements was nature merit badge. To obtain the badge you had to become fairly familiar with two taxa of organisms. I knew local plants fairly well, but not a second taxon. A friend of mine suggested we visit a nearby scout camp managed by an expert naturalist. Though we did not see many birds while hiking with the naturalist, he identified several only by their call. Upon returning home I looked up one of the birds in a large bird book my parents had in the basement. The naturalist had called the bird a "chewink" which turned out to be a Rufous-sided Towhee. I was amazed that such a pretty bird could occur so close to New York City where I lived, so I decided to study birds to satisfy one of the merit badge requirements. After that I was hooked.
It is interesting that when I was about 8 or 9 years old and a member of the Cub Scouts, one of the requirements for a badge was to learn a few birds. At that time I thought the only birds were ugly pigeons, crows or sparrows, so I quit the Cub Scouts and played more baseball.
What advice would you give to novice birders to help them get the most out of their hobby?
If you really want to learn about birds, and you have the time, I urge everyone to volunteer to assist organizations or individuals whom you respect and admire. It is an excellent way to learn and, at the same time, to show your dedication and become know to people in the field.
Which books were most inspiring to you when you first became interested in birds?
Had my parents not had "Birds of North America" edited by T. Gilbert Pearson, I might never have become interested in birds. This massive tome with fabulous plates by Louis Agassiz Fuertes was instrumental in stimulating my interest. Once started, I obtained Roger Tory Peterson's "Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America" and that became my primary field guide for years thereafter.
Who, in your view, are the most influential bird writers and illustrators, and why? Is there a particular title that you admire?
Obviously the early names in the field - Peterson, Pough, Fuertes, Eckelberry - stand out in my mind. I tend to be more impressed by the artists than by the authors. I can never get over the attraction of excellent bird art. It is like a magnet to me.
Once Don Eckelberry took me through his studio and I thought I had gone to heaven!
Do you collect bird books or bird art?
I have a substantial number of bird books and a few pieces of beautiful art, but I do not consider myself a collector. The best art I have are plates from my two bird guides. These include work primarily by Tracy Pedersen and Cindy House. Some of my favorites are a pair of Puerto Rican Woodpeckers by Cindy House, from the Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands guide, and two hummingbird plates and the Puerto Rican Nightjar by Tracy Pedersen from the West Indies book.
I would die for a piece of Eckelberry's work!
When I travel abroad I enjoy purchasing simple wooden bird sculptures and other bird art. When I get a chance, I pick up local bird stamps.
What inspired you to write your latest book (include title here for ease of reference)?
James Bond's "Birds of the West Indies" was my inspiration to write the "Guide to the Birds of the West Indies." I first saw James Bond's book in a New York public library (In every library I always went directly to 598.2 - the bird book section) and I immediately fell in love with the exotic birds so wonderfully depicted in the plates by Eckelberry. I was about 17 at the time. The following year I had the opportunity to visit Puerto Rico for the first time and use Bond's book in the field.
As much as I loved the book, it served poorly as a field guide to the shortage of illustrations. A few years later I had the opportunity to live in Puerto Rico for seven years after which I wrote a field guide to the birds of that island and the neighboring Virgin Islands. That experience taught me the ins and outs of doing a field guide. Quite a few years later, around 1985, I was looking for an interesting project to fill my free time outside of work, so I hooked up with several friends and associates who were experts on different islands in the Caribbean and the Guide to the Birds of the West Indies was launched. I chose this project because Bond's book had become long obsolete and I felt a new Caribbean guide would be an important contribution towards stimulating bird conservation in the region.
My intent all along was to produce a book of value to Caribbean islanders, not so much to satisfy visiting bird watchers. It ended up being a bit of a hybrid since foreign birders are the primary market for such books. Nevertheless, the book has served to promote local conservation far beyond publication of the document itself. I have made the illustrations and the text available to any non-profit organization or individual desiring to use the material for conservation purposes. The result has been far more worthwhile than I ever could have imagined. Posters, newsletters, pamphlets, booklets, newspapers, shirts, web pages, you name it. The illustrations have been used in a zillion exciting ways. Haiti is presently considering use of the illustrations to produce a new set of currency! A poster of the Cuban Kite hangs in churches on the island to convince congregations to conserve that endangered bird!
Are you working on any other bird books or relevant studies at the moment?
I have a number of projects underway. One of my highest priorities is to finish a book I started about 15 years ago entitled "Birds, beasts and bureaucrats: A naturalist on a tropical island." The book relates a series of experiences I had working as a naturalist on the island of Puerto Rico. It contains interesting stories intermingled with a substantial amount of natural history.
Jim Wiley and I are also working on a simple natural history guide primarily to serve tourists visiting the Caribbean. It includes most of the common birds, mammals, frogs, lizards, reef fish, plants, etc. The project is presently on hold while we seek a mechanism to procure the necessary artwork.
The Guide to the birds of the West Indies needs to be published in Spanish. I expect to work on that shortly.
Finally, I am working with collaborators on many of the Caribbean islands to produce guides to the common birds of each island. Hopefully, within a few years, each of the islands will have a simple guide that will help stimulate interest in birds among local islanders. We are using the artwork from the West Indies book to facilitate production of these island guides. A guide to Dominica should be the next one to be produced and it will be very special. It is full of interesting folklore and other tid-bits about Dominica's birds.
What aspects of your work do you most enjoy and most dislike?
I am extremely fortunate in that I have one of the most wonderful jobs in the world. I coordinate most of the international conservation programs of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This includes providing about 6 million dollars per year in grants to conserve wildlife all around the world. Though my work includes conservation programs for flagship species such as rhinos, tigers, elephants and great apes, plus important regional initiatives with Mexico, Russia, China and Japan, I still have the opportunity to keep a finger in the Caribbean, the area where I have the most experience.
What do I enjoy most? Meeting with the individuals and organizations with which we partner to advance conservation. It is wonderful to be able to build the capacities of dedicated conservationists all over the world.
What do I dislike? Usually the most annoying part of my day is shaving to go to work.
Which is your favourite birding destination and why?
I have no favorite destination. Any place that has interesting birds is exciting to me.
What species of bird is your favourite, and what is it that you particularly like about that species?
I do not have a particular favorite. The Rufous-sided Towhee is special to me because it started me off as a birder. I love the Song Sparrow because it sings such a delectable song from among the hustle and bustle of busy streets. The Woodcock is wonderful for its extraordinary courtship and mysterious habits. And then there are the tropical species. The todies are unbeatable - little jewels. There are just too many to talk about.
