Peterson, Roger Tory (1908-1996), was an American artist, naturalist, and author. His popular paintings and illustrations of birds for books led to the development of a series of nature handbooks called the Peterson Field Guide Series. His work has helped people identify and appreciate animals in their natural environment and has highlighted the value of wildlife conservation.
Peterson first collected his illustrations and methods of identifying birds in a book called Field Guide to the Birds (1934). Later, he created A Field Guide to Western Birds (1941). In 1946, he became editor of the Peterson Field Guide Series. Peterson expanded the series to include guides on birds of Europe and Mexico, on other animals, on plants, and on minerals.
Peterson was born on Aug. 28, 1908, in Jamestown, New York. His books include Birds Over America (1948), The Birds (1963), and Penguins (1979). With James Fisher, a naturalist, Peterson wrote Wild America (1955) and The World of Birds (1964). In 1986, Peterson and several colleagues founded the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History in Jamestown. He died on July 28, 1996.
