The Feathery Tribe Robert Ridgway and the Modern Study of Birds

"Lewis's masterful biography of Ridgway gives us an insight into what it meant to be a professional" biologist in the late nineteenth century. It fills a critical gap in our understanding of the emergence of the life sciences and on the nature of the scientific profession."
- Paul Lawrence Farber, author of Discovering Birds and Finding Order in Nature

"The roots of all American bird enthusiasts trace squarely back to Robert Ridgway, and Lewis's account of Ridgway and the emergence of a modern ornithology in North America resonates and fascinates."
- Kimball L. Garrett, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, co-author of the Peterson Field Guide to the Warblers of North America

"A major contribution to the history of natural history, history of museums, history of American science, as well as history of ornithology [...]. sets a fine standard for biographies that move beyond a narrative into analysis of intellectual and social currents in the field."
- Pamela Henson, American University

"Deftly presented and deeply researched, The Feathery Tribe uses the life and career of Robert Ridgway to tell the story of professionalization in American ornithology. This book fills an important gap in our understanding of the development of modern bird study, while restoring Ridgway to his rightful place of honor among the pantheon of American naturalists."
- Mark V. Barrow, Jr., Virginia Tech, author of A Passion for Birds and Nature's Ghosts

"This book does an excellent job of underlining the lasting value of Ridgeway's work and those of his colleagues and rival, and they form the basis of just about every aspects of modern bird study."
– Martin Collinson, Birdwatch

"Lewis weaves the story of Robert Ridgway and his ornithological career expertly through the historical context of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the emergence of modern ornithology. The book is full of interesting historical tidbits [...] This book belongs in every academic and museum library and should appeal to anyone with an interest in the historyical roots of modern ornithology."
– William E. Davis, American Ornithologist's Union

"This is a welcome and thoroughly researched contribution to the history of ornithology in North America."
– Richard Mearns, British Ornithologist's Union

"Lewis's account draws deeply and meticulously from a vast assortment of primary sources. As a museum curator himself, he insightfully highlights the values of objects – that is, the mortal remains of birds – as vital sources and the history and values of natural history museum. Lewis's voice is enthusiastic, straightforward, and sometimes even playful."
– Julianne Lutz Warren, Environmental History

"Thus, The Feathery Tribe introduces an important scientist along with his professional coterie and their struggles to establish ornithology in America while defining their professional identities. Moreover, in placing Ridgway's life in the context of his interactions with his tribe, Daniel Lewis demonstrates the considerable value of scientific biography as historians continue to explore the significance of the field sciences to the history of science."
– Frederick R. Davis, Isis