John James Audubon, French-American ornithologist and painter (d. 1851)
John James Audubon (born Jean Rabin; April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851) was an American self-trained artist, naturalist, and ornithologist. His combined interests in art and ornithology turned into a plan to make a complete pictoral record of all the bird species of North America. He was notable for his extensive studies documenting all types of American birds and for his detailed illustrations, which depicted the birds in their natural habitats. His major work, a color-plate book titled The Birds of America (1827–1839), is considered one of the finest ornithological works ever completed. Audubon is also known for identifying 25 new species. He is the eponym of the National Audubon Society, and his name adorns a large number of towns, neighborhoods, and streets in every part of the United States. Dozens of scientific names first published by Audubon are currently in use by the scientific community.Amidst recent reappraisal of figures involved with slavery, the Audubon Naturalist Society announced in October 2021 that they intended to change the name, citing Audubon's ownership of slaves, opposition to the abolition of slavery, and his support for the supposed inferiority of black and indigenous people.