About

Hi! I’m Robert Francis, the creator of US Bird History. Five years ago, I started noticing a particular kind of bird on my daily commute through downtown Washington, DC, but I realized that I had no idea what they were called. I did some googling and learned that they were European Starlings – one of our most common urban birds. The more I started paying attention to the birds around me, the more birds I started to see – and the more I appreciated the beautiful and complex ways our lives intersect with theirs. 

At US Bird History, I share the stories of how these intersections have changed over time. Birds have had a surprisingly deep impact on our country’s culture, laws, cuisine, economy, and national identity. But the impact we have had on America’s birds is many times greater. Through hunting, habitat destruction, and changes to our built environment, people have ravaged bird populations, to the point of driving some species to extinction. But sometimes, both intentionally and unintentionally, we have helped birds to thrive. Whether you’re a serious birder, a history lover, or someone seeking a better understanding of our relationship with the non-human world, I hope you find something that deepens your appreciation for the birds with whom we share this land.