vii Preface 



that discusses the causes of extinction and the situation that is 

 faced by our threatened birds of today. 



I have tried to present this material in a realistic manner, from 

 the very special point of view of the active field ornithologist, for 

 it has been my privilege to work at close hand with most of these 

 birds in their natural wilderness habitats. These have been my own 

 experiences and heartaches and adventures, and for the most part 

 this is my personal account. But it is also, and perhaps more sig- 

 nificantly, a part of the history of the National Audubon Society, 

 the organization that has fought so valiantly for the birds of 

 America and that has made these studies of our threatened species 

 possible. It is the author's hope that those who read this book may 

 have as a result a better understanding and appreciation of the 

 scope and importance of the Society's high purpose and many 

 accomplishments. 



ROBERT PORTER ALLEN 



