Kathi Borgmann provides a useful timeline of prominent women in North American Ornithology, but not until after she provides a brief but entertaining foray into the Victorian ara fervor over Darwin’s theory of sexual selection. Here are just 2 notable quotes: “Seldom or never does the female exert any choice. She is not the awarder of the prize, but rather a hunted creature,” said German philosopher and psychologist Karl Groos in 1898. St George Mivart suggested that “women were too amused by passing fancies to have any such exertion on evolution.”
To return to the time line, Borgmann’s begins with Florence Mirriam Bailey in 1889 and advances to the 21st century and lists about 30 women who have made major contributions to our understanding of birds. She highlights the various achievements of these women and finishes with a report on the ‘Female Bird Song Project’ and the ways in which female birds influence social biology.
For the Lab of Ornithology report see: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/the-forgotten-female-how-a-generation-of-women-scientists-changed-our-view-of-evolution/
For the