Paul Johnsgard
Paul Austin Johnsgard (28 June 1931 – 28 May 2021) was an ornithologist, artist and emeritus professor at the University of Nebraska. His works include nearly fifty books including several monographs, principally about the waterfowl and cranes. Childhood and education. Born in Fargo, North Dakota, he was introduced to the study of birds by a distant cousin who was a game warden. He spent these early years taking part in duck counts. After high school and junior college at Wahpeton, he enrolled at North Dakota State University to major in zoology. He then moved to Washington State University for  his master's degree, encouraged by a professor who suggested that he could have a career in ornithology. His master's study was on the impact of the construction of O'Sullivan Dam to wetland habitats. Apart from the data collected and his interpretation, it included his pen sketches. This was published in "The Condor" and the article attracted the attention of Charles Sibley who invited him to consider a Ph.D. at Cornell University with him, with his work focusing on the phylogeny of six ducks Career. After completing his graduate degree, Johnsgard moved to England at the Wildfowl Trust at  Gloucestershire founded by Sir Peter Scott. Over the course of two years, he produced his first book, the "Handbook of Waterfowl Behaviour", which was published by Cornell University in 1965. He is considered one of the most prolific authors of ornithology books.