Roger Tory Peterson; The Life, The Work, The Legacy
In the early 1900s, Jamestown, New York’s urban nature inspired young Roger Tory Peterson to pursue his celebrated career as a naturalist, nature artist and influential educator. Peterson brought the study of natural history to the people, in a time when this was the realm of academia only. Through his field guides he opened the eyes of millions of everyday people to the beauty and intrinsic value of nature that exists in our backyards. The Roger Tory Peterson Institute (RTPI) of Natural History is the only official institutional steward of Roger Tory Peterson’s body of work and his...
Read MoreKeep Cozy and Warm
We hope that you’re keeping cozy and warm, much like Roger Tory Peterson appears to be doing in this photo from our archives! It was taken during a visit to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Pennsylvania ~ 1950.
Read MoreGiving Tuesday 2017
Giving Tuesday is Today! – Your Gift Will be Matched All donations made to the Giving Tuesday campaign will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $5,000, by our generous challenge match donors. When you donate to the Roger Tory Peterson Institute, you are helping to provide training and opportunities for high school and college students in the field of natural history study and research through our Conservation & Education Programs, funding stewardship of the Roger Tory Peterson Archives & Collections, and helping RTPI educate about the natural world in our own back yards and how...
Read MoreMeleagris gallopavo
With the arrival of the holiday season, many folks will enjoy celebratory feasts with family and friends. The centerpiece for many merry meals will undoubtedly be a turkey; indeed, Americans will consume nearly 50 million turkeys on Thanksgiving and about half as many on Christmas. Given that the average American consumes over 15 pounds of turkey each year, I thought it would be interesting to explore the natural history of this ubiquitous bird. The domestic turkey that you buy in the grocery store is the same species as the wild turkeys that you might see strutting through a local field or...
Read MoreCorvids in Autumn
This painting by Roger Tory Peterson depicts several corvid species. While you’re not likely to see Gray Jays (Perisoreus canadensis) in the Northeastern United States, Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata), American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and Common Ravens (Corvus corax) can all be found here. Peterson created this image for the 1951 book “Birds of Newfoundland”, by Harold S. Peters and Thomas D. Burleigh of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Peters and Burleigh were commissioned by the Newfoundland government to write the book to be used as a reference in schools, as well as for...
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