This is bird note.

The song sparrow, a humble little bird with a big role in history. Few backyard birds in North

America are more widespread than the Song Sparrow, but it was study of this seemingly unremarkable bird that helped shape modern

ornithology and made the reputation of a pioneer of American bird study.

In 1920 American Bird Study. In 1928, Margaret Morse Nice began carefully observing Song Sparrows near Columbus, Ohio where she lived.

For eight years, Nice banded and made detailed accounts of the

birds' lives and behavior. Her observations led her to create probably the most in-depth

natural history of any North American animal at that time.

The legacy of Margaret Morse Nice's work lies in her pioneering approach to the study of animal behavior.

She helped shift the focus away from collection, description, and distribution.

The new thinking put an emphasis on bird behavior

and painstaking observation of living birds in the wild.

Today, one of the most prestigious honors one can achieve in ornithology is the Margaret Morse

Nice Medal.

And it all started with that little brown bird with the melodious song.

Today's show brought to you by The Bobbeling Foundation. You're going to be.