author
Virgil E. Scott
A wildlife biologist whose writing helped readers see dead and aging trees in a new light, he is best known for practical, field-based work on cavity-nesting birds and forest habitat. His books and research brought together close observation, conservation concerns, and a clear respect for how birds fit into North American forest ecosystems.
1 Audiobook
Cavity-Nesting Birds of North American Forests Agriculture Handbook 511
by Virgil E. Scott, Keith E. Evans, David R. Patton, Charles P. Stone
About the author
Virgil E. Scott was an American wildlife biologist and researcher whose published work focused on birds, forest habitat, and land management. He studied wildlife biology at Colorado State University and later worked as a biologist in Ohio before continuing his career in the West.
He is best known as a coauthor of Cavity-Nesting Birds of North American Forests, a U.S. Department of Agriculture handbook first published in 1977. The book describes the habitat, food, and nesting needs of dozens of bird species that depend on tree cavities, and it helped underline an important conservation message: removing too many dead or decaying trees can seriously damage breeding habitat for birds that support healthy forests.
Scott also published research on topics including birds' response to timber harvest and the characteristics of ponderosa pine snags used by cavity-nesting species. Across his work, he wrote in a way that connected science with on-the-ground stewardship, making his books useful not only to specialists but also to readers interested in how forests and wildlife depend on one another.