I consider myself to have been the bridge between the shotgun and the binoculars in bird watching. Before I came along, the primary way to observe birds was to shoot them and stuff them. — Roger Tory Peterson Copy Share Image
More birds have adapted to a changing world than have failed. Very few have the narrow tolerance of the ivory-billed woodpecker or the Bachman's… — Roger Tory Peterson Copy Share
The philosophy that I have worked under most of my life is that the serious study of natural history is an activity which has… — Roger Tory Peterson Copy Share
Penguins are an indicator of the health of our watery planet, and if they are unable to survive, we had better take notice or… — Roger Tory Peterson Copy Share
I can recognize the calls of practically every bird in North America. There are some in Africa I don't know, though — Roger Tory Peterson Copy Share
Butterflies are very interesting. Here these things are little grubs for a while. And then they go into a little coffin. There they are… — Roger Tory Peterson Copy Share
Birds are indicators of the environment. If they are in trouble, we know we'll soon be in trouble. — Roger Tory Peterson Copy Share
Vultures are homely, but they clean up all the garbage and that's good. And they're elegant in the sky. — Roger Tory Peterson Copy Share
Butterflies may be better indicators of the health of our environment than birds. — Roger Tory Peterson Copy Share
Of all the various out-door recreations I have tried, when it comes to genuine, exciting sport, give me hunting with a camera… — Roger Tory Peterson Copy Share
Birds ... are sensitive indicators of the environment, a sort of "ecological litmus paper," ... The observation and recording of bird populations over time… — Roger Tory Peterson Copy Share
Not all is doom and gloom. We are beginning to understand the natural world and are gaining a reverence for life - all life. — Roger Tory Peterson Copy Share
The truth of the matter is, the birds could very well live without us, but many -- perhaps all -- of us would find… — Roger Tory Peterson Copy Share
Birds, it must be admitted, are the most exciting and most deserving of the vertebrates; they are perhaps the best entre into the study… — Roger Tory Peterson Copy Share
