Louis Agassiz Fuertes (1874 – 1927) was the most widely acclaimed American ornithological artist of his time. Born in Ithaca, New York, Fuertes began drawing birds at an early age, inspired by Audubon’s Birds of America. Fuertes quickly became associated with leading ornithological scientists and artists, and he received professional commissions while still an undergraduate at Cornell University College of Architecture.

Fuertes went on to produce a vast body of work for an extremely broad range of projects. Initially, his drawings had been solely a means of ornithological study. His diligence, precision, and skill in draftsmanship produced some of the most animated and engaging bird illustrations of the twentieth century. He traveled widely to broaden his knowledge of birds and their habitats.