The wildlife artist John James Audubon lived from April 1785 to January 1851. He is one of the most famous wildlife artists ever and known especially for his bird illustrations. Born in Haiti he moved to France for his education and later escaped to America. It was n the USA that he became interested in wildlife and he did the first ever bird-tagging study. This experiment involved tying yarn around the legs of birds, which proved that the same birds returned to the same exact nest the following year. His bird art began in the same year, which was 1803 and by 1819 his life was mainly focused on his wildlife art. He traveled the length of the Mississippi river with an assistant as well as a gun and his painting equipment. He was determined to paint every bird in America although this had already been done by another artist. The method Audubon used was to shoot a bird mount it on wire then paint it. He often shot more than 100 birds in a day and loved shooting rare birds. Later in his life he became a strong supporter of wildlife conservation and spoke strongly against the depletion of nature and wildlife in America. To get his bird art published in book form he needed to travel to Britain where they had better printing skills and were also fascinated by the romantic image of American and its wildlife. This book, called “Birds of America” was published in the UK in the late 1930’s. This is now regarded as the greatest picture book that was ever published. It was made at a size of 36 by 26 inches so that the hand-colored aquatints of the birds could mostly be life-size. The companion volume, “Ornithological Biographies”, by Scottish ornithologist William MacGillivray, presented written details on each of the birds illustrated. Later, in 1942, this book was published in the USA. Still one of the greatest wildlife illustrators who ever lived, Audubon is probably the best-known bird artist ever from America. Looking to find the best info on wildlife art, then visit www.wildlife-art-guide.com to learn all about Audubon wildlife art, see his illustrations (and buy posters if you wish), and see lots of other amazing wildlife art and photography.