The Feather Wars
The Great Crusade to Save America's Birds
Book •
James H. McCommons' 'The Feather Wars' chronicles the late 19th- and early 20th-century crisis in which commercial hunting, the millinery trade, and collecting threatened many North American bird species.
The book follows key figures and organizations — from Audubon activists and ornithologists to hunters and politicians — who pushed for laws and treaties to protect migratory and non-game birds.
McCommons situates legislative milestones like the Lacey Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act within the broader cultural changes that made conservation possible.
He uses archival research, historical anecdotes, and period photographs to show both the devastation and the coalition-building that led to recovery efforts.
The narrative emphasizes the role of regulation, public pressure, and cross‑sector alliances in saving many species from extinction.
The book follows key figures and organizations — from Audubon activists and ornithologists to hunters and politicians — who pushed for laws and treaties to protect migratory and non-game birds.
McCommons situates legislative milestones like the Lacey Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act within the broader cultural changes that made conservation possible.
He uses archival research, historical anecdotes, and period photographs to show both the devastation and the coalition-building that led to recovery efforts.
The narrative emphasizes the role of regulation, public pressure, and cross‑sector alliances in saving many species from extinction.
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Steven Rinella
Ep. 848: How America Almost Lost Its Birds
