Audubon County, Iowa
Audubon County, Iowa was founded in 1851, soon after the death of John James Audubon.
Today, local references to the artist and naturalist abound, especially in the town of Audubon. A bronze statue of John James Audubon holding a painting occupies the middle of the town square. Mosaics modeled after etchings in The Birds of America decorate surrounding sidewalks. And a stained glass clock, 21 feet tall, contains portraits of Audubon and his dog Zephyr.
In June 2023, I visited Audubon County to explore whether, or how, the ecological dynamics of the place align with the values that might be associated with its origins. Would Audubon County be filled with birds? And grassy landscapes? Or something else? I spent a week rolling across the county, doing bird surveys, and documenting my visit.
Thrush Avenue; 2023 June 08; 10:26; 41.55N 94.72W (Bird_6)
700th Street; 2023 June 07; 13:21; 41.60N 95.04W (Road_15)
Lark Avenue; 2023 June 08; 17:11; 41.76N 94.88W (Bird_Option_1)
County Trunk Road; 2023 June 07; 11:32; 41.54N 94.94W (Road_20)
Littlefield Drive; 2023 June 08; 10:54; 41.51N 94.76W (Road_26)
4th Avenue; 2023 June 08; 06:00; 41.71N 94.92W (Road_12)
Swift Avenue; 2023 June 07; 15:00; 41.67N 94.74W (Bird_19)
Quail Avenue; 2023 June 07; 08:46; 41.55N 94.78W (Bird_13)
Littlefield Drive:; 2023 June 07; 10:25; 41.51N 94.76W (Road_26)
160th Street; 2023 June 06; 09:28; 41.78N 94.89W (Road_8)
Plans
Approximately 30% of the roads in Audubon County are named after birds. Point count surveys for birds were conducted throughout the county along avian and non-avian road sections. Analyses of related bird distributions and abundances are forthcoming.
