Did John James Audubon found the Audubon Society?

No. Audubon died in 1851, more than 30 years before the first Audubon societies were formed. State-level Audubon societies emerged in the 1880s and 1890s to fight the plume trade, and the National Audubon Society was founded in 1905 — named in his honor by people inspired by his art and writings, not by Audubon himself.

Did Audubon really kill the birds he painted?

Yes. Like nearly all naturalists of his era, Audubon shot birds in order to study and paint them, using wires to pose the specimens in lifelike scenes. Photography and modern optics did not yet exist. By today's standards this is deeply uncomfortable, but it was standard scientific practice in the early 1800s.

Why is John James Audubon's legacy considered controversial today?

Beyond his treatment of birds, historians have documented Audubon's connection to slavery and his racist views toward Black and Indigenous people. Some Audubon chapters have renamed themselves; the National Audubon Society reviewed the name and chose to keep it while publicly acknowledging the harm in his personal history.

How many hummingbirds did Audubon paint?

Audubon's *Birds of America* includes multiple hummingbird species, most famously the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Plate 47) and depictions of tropical species like the Columbian Hummingbird (Plate 425). His hummingbird plates were among the most detailed renderings of these tiny birds available to 19th-century audiences.

What is the modern, ethical way to study and enjoy hummingbirds?

Use binoculars and high-speed cameras instead of guns, plant native nectar-rich flowers, keep feeders clean and filled with dye-free [4:1 sugar water](/blog/best-hummingbird-nectar-recipe), avoid pesticides, and contribute sightings to citizen-science platforms like eBird. Modern conservation pairs careful observation with habitat protection — no specimen collection required.

Who Was John James Audubon? The Complicated Conservation Icon | NectarBloom™