Robert Francis
@birdhistory.bsky.social
Writing about birds in people history and people in bird history
birdhistory.substack.com
birdhistory.substack.com
Nighthawks nesting on an apartment roof in Brooklyn, 1914
November 10, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Nighthawks nesting on an apartment roof in Brooklyn, 1914
Every day you don't go birding is a day closer to death
October 25, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Every day you don't go birding is a day closer to death
This was written in 1879, just a few years before passenger pigeons disappeared from the wild. These people are still out there
October 14, 2025 at 8:48 PM
This was written in 1879, just a few years before passenger pigeons disappeared from the wild. These people are still out there
Here’s a great little story from 1885 about a semi-wild stork? heron? crane? stalking around Memphis “exactly like Oscar Wilde” subsisting entirely on house sparrows, for which it was undoubtedly considered a public servant
October 13, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Here’s a great little story from 1885 about a semi-wild stork? heron? crane? stalking around Memphis “exactly like Oscar Wilde” subsisting entirely on house sparrows, for which it was undoubtedly considered a public servant
Typical craigslist ad
October 13, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Typical craigslist ad
After passenger pigeons disappeared people tried using house sparrows for their shooting contests instead, which they hoped would kill two birds with one stone
October 12, 2025 at 2:49 PM
After passenger pigeons disappeared people tried using house sparrows for their shooting contests instead, which they hoped would kill two birds with one stone
A list of birds that once frequented New York City, but had disappeared by 1923. It's encouraging that nearly every one that has not gone extinct can at least occasionally be spotted in the city.
October 10, 2025 at 7:39 PM
A list of birds that once frequented New York City, but had disappeared by 1923. It's encouraging that nearly every one that has not gone extinct can at least occasionally be spotted in the city.
To be a bobwhite in a potato field hootin with my bobwhite wife
September 26, 2025 at 3:31 PM
To be a bobwhite in a potato field hootin with my bobwhite wife
Americans saw extinction as an inevitable consequence of progress, connected to native peoples' removal. "The passenger pigeon - the very image of exultant wildness - will soon be a rarity," having "departed w/ the disappearance of savagery in the land. " - Harper's Weekly, 1889
September 24, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Americans saw extinction as an inevitable consequence of progress, connected to native peoples' removal. "The passenger pigeon - the very image of exultant wildness - will soon be a rarity," having "departed w/ the disappearance of savagery in the land. " - Harper's Weekly, 1889
One candidate for best folk name is the Red-bellied Woodpecker, which apparently went by Chad
September 23, 2025 at 2:17 AM
One candidate for best folk name is the Red-bellied Woodpecker, which apparently went by Chad
schnip schnap, they're eating my peas
Incredible story from Alexander Wilson, America's first ornithologist, in 1812.
Incredible story from Alexander Wilson, America's first ornithologist, in 1812.
September 22, 2025 at 8:14 PM
schnip schnap, they're eating my peas
Incredible story from Alexander Wilson, America's first ornithologist, in 1812.
Incredible story from Alexander Wilson, America's first ornithologist, in 1812.
If you're my enemy, this is how I'm regarding you
September 17, 2025 at 7:28 PM
If you're my enemy, this is how I'm regarding you
While "odd duck" and "silly goose" both began their rise to prominence in the 1990s, it seems like "odd duck" is of truly recent origin, while "silly goose" has enjoyed the periodic resurgence in popularity, most recently in the 1870s.
September 16, 2025 at 12:32 AM
While "odd duck" and "silly goose" both began their rise to prominence in the 1990s, it seems like "odd duck" is of truly recent origin, while "silly goose" has enjoyed the periodic resurgence in popularity, most recently in the 1870s.
Guano miners on Laysan Island, 1891.
September 15, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Guano miners on Laysan Island, 1891.
Some abysmal bird jokes from 1908
September 14, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Some abysmal bird jokes from 1908
The Excitement Of Touching The Eccentric Woodcock On The Back
September 12, 2025 at 8:44 PM
The Excitement Of Touching The Eccentric Woodcock On The Back
In other words,
September 12, 2025 at 7:58 PM
In other words,
My favorite side quest is eating foods at the place the food is named for. So far I've eaten:
-buffalo wings in Buffalo, NY
-key lime pie in the Florida keys
-Nashville hot chicken in Nashville
What else (in the US) am I missing?
-buffalo wings in Buffalo, NY
-key lime pie in the Florida keys
-Nashville hot chicken in Nashville
What else (in the US) am I missing?
September 11, 2025 at 10:06 PM
My favorite side quest is eating foods at the place the food is named for. So far I've eaten:
-buffalo wings in Buffalo, NY
-key lime pie in the Florida keys
-Nashville hot chicken in Nashville
What else (in the US) am I missing?
-buffalo wings in Buffalo, NY
-key lime pie in the Florida keys
-Nashville hot chicken in Nashville
What else (in the US) am I missing?
As a niche bird history account I gotta share that there was a run on pet canaries after 9/11 because people thought they'd help protect against poison gas, one pet store owner said "I don't want to seem unpatriotic or anything but canary business has been great ever since 9/11"
September 11, 2025 at 6:16 PM
As a niche bird history account I gotta share that there was a run on pet canaries after 9/11 because people thought they'd help protect against poison gas, one pet store owner said "I don't want to seem unpatriotic or anything but canary business has been great ever since 9/11"
I spend every day writing about birds and our messy relationship with em so if you crave more bird content you know what to do
birdhistory.substack.com
birdhistory.substack.com
September 11, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I spend every day writing about birds and our messy relationship with em so if you crave more bird content you know what to do
birdhistory.substack.com
birdhistory.substack.com
Only fair that I allow a binocular inspection?
September 11, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Only fair that I allow a binocular inspection?
This isn't how birding is supposed to work!
September 11, 2025 at 4:20 PM
This isn't how birding is supposed to work!
can anyone confirm if this is true?
September 4, 2025 at 9:01 PM
can anyone confirm if this is true?
I came across this table during my research, fascinating that they can hit pretty high numbers but can't sustain them
September 4, 2025 at 3:40 PM
I came across this table during my research, fascinating that they can hit pretty high numbers but can't sustain them
You can find wild Rosy-faced Lovebirds in Phoenix, Red-crowned Amazons in McAllen, Red-masked Parakeets in San Francisco, and Monk Parakeets everywhere from Chicago to New Orleans. Los Angeles has 15 kinds, and Florida has 20. These birds all escaped from the pet trade.
September 4, 2025 at 3:27 PM
You can find wild Rosy-faced Lovebirds in Phoenix, Red-crowned Amazons in McAllen, Red-masked Parakeets in San Francisco, and Monk Parakeets everywhere from Chicago to New Orleans. Los Angeles has 15 kinds, and Florida has 20. These birds all escaped from the pet trade.