author
Richard F. Johnston
Best known for writing about birds and natural history, this American ornithologist brought a scientist’s eye and a clear, practical style to the living world. His work is especially linked to Kansas birdlife and to careful studies of familiar species such as pigeons.
3 Audiobooks
The Breeding Birds of Kansas
by Richard F. Johnston
Natural History of the Salamander, Aneides hardii
by Richard F. Johnston, G. A. Schad
Vertebrates from the Barrier Island of Tamaulipas, México
by Robert K. Selander, Richard F. Johnston, Gerald G. Raun, B. J. Wilks
About the author
Richard F. Johnston was an American ornithologist, academic, and author, born in Oakland, California, on July 27, 1925. He developed an early interest in zoology, served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and later earned a PhD in biology from the University of California, Berkeley.
In 1958, he joined the University of Kansas, where he worked in the Zoology Department and became curator of the Natural History Museum. His writing and research centered on birds, and his books and papers helped make ornithology accessible to both specialists and dedicated general readers.
Among the works associated with him are The Breeding Birds of Kansas and Feral Pigeons. He died on November 15, 2014, in Lawrence, Kansas, leaving behind a body of work rooted in close observation, field knowledge, and a lasting enthusiasm for the natural world.