Happy 225th Birthday, John James Audubon

John James Audubon spent the better part of six decades making environmental strides long before conservation was trendy. He banded birds, catalogued and drew hundreds of avian and mammal species, even offered early warnings about the dangers of mistreating our planet. Celebrate his birthday today, April 26, by taking a look back at the life and works of the man who lent his name to a movement—and this magazine.

Audubon assistant editor Michele Wilson has compiled a slideshow of Audubon's illustrations and various stories about the conservation hero's life and legacy.