323:, focusing on the observation of birds in their native habitats. Early in her investigations, she set up an observation facility near her home which she called her "Acre of Birds." There, Sherman included natural cavities in trees for nesting sites, as well as birdhouses, nesting platforms, and brush piles. Her birdhouses were constructed with holes for viewing the birds and for reaching in to evaluate the development of the nestlings. Sherman made observations about habitat requirements, feeding habits, and also the population growth and decline for various bird species. She measured
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239:. Sherman's sisters both pursued courses for a career in medicine, but Althea Sherman continued to pursue the study of art. At Oberlin College, Sherman pursued the classical course of art study, as opposed to the literary course of study. She later attributed a part of her scientific success to her studies of
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in ornithology and became a member of 15 scientific or ornithological societies. Sherman used her skills as an artist to illustrate her observations and studies, publishing over 70 articles on 38 species over her career that spanned three decades. Sherman published scholarly journal articles as early
293:
until she returned to her hometown of
National, Iowa, in 1895 to care again for her ailing father. Her father died in 1896 and Sherman remained to care for her mother until her mother's death in 1902. Sherman continued to reside at her Iowa family home with her older sister, Dr. Amelia Sherman.
220:. Even though his daughter Althea Sherman later lamented in her writings about the decline of animal and plant life due to habitat loss from agricultural development, her father's farm income financed her education and supported her in her later life as she conducted ornithological research.
430:
Some ornithologists believed that
Sherman was being inappropriately judgmental of house wrens. Many people provided bird boxes for house wrens to nest. Since these birds prey on other birds, Sherman contended the practice of providing bird boxes gave house wrens an unfair
409:
in which they invade and destroy the eggs of other birds. She felt that many people who were simply bird-lovers and not knowledgeable of bird behavior constructed wren boxes, thereby encouraging house wren population growth at the expense of other species. Sherman stated:
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and shoe maker, working in New York State and then in
Wisconsin. Once these trades were widely adapted by large factories, Mark Sherman became a farmer, making success of farm in Farmersburg Township, Iowa, which he acquired through a
314:
Following a 20-year career in the arts, Sherman then began her career ornithology, making use of her skills as an observer and illustrator. Prior to
Sherman's time, biologists frequently sacrificed birds to examine them
388:
Sherman frequently hosted visitors to her "Acre of Birds". The visitors ranged from professional ornithologists to lay people who were simply interested in seeing the observation facilities that
Sherman had crafted.
492:
438:
Sherman's publications early in her career reported on observations of bird behavior, while later publications included more extensive interpretations. Over the course of her career, she served as a
597:
The
Chimney Swift tower fell into disrepair after Sherman's death. Eventually it was reconstructed and in the early 21st century was serving as a tourist attraction. The tower was re-located to
446:, who was 30 years younger than Sherman. Sherman and Nice corresponded frequently, with Sherman at times offering advice and suggestions. She also mentored Oberlin College ornithologist
392:
In 1914, Sherman traveled extensively in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, to observe various bird species worldwide. She published her findings in a series of publications, entitled
162:, the first to complete such investigations. She published more than 70 articles in scientific and ornithological journals during her career. Sherman was elected as a member of the
550:
Sherman's research findings led to her being elected as a member of the
American Ornithologists' Union in 1912, which at the time had only 100 members. She also was listed in the
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times and growth rates of baby birds for different species. Sherman frequently made sketches and illustrations of her observations and so was an avian portrait artist.
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in scientific circles that was common at the time. Her scientific endeavors were self-financed, which also aided her overcoming gender discrimination.
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207:, to parents Mark Bachelor Sherman and Melissa Sherman (née Clark). She was the fourth of six children in the family. Her father was a self-taught
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Sherman died at age 89 prior to her publication of a book summarizing her chimney swift data. However, Fred J. Pierce published
Sherman's book
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As a self-taught ornithologist who mostly used a home-crafted outdoor observation facility for her investigations, Sherman mostly avoided the
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Sherman and her two older sisters, Amelia
Sherman and Ada Sherman, travelled 40 miles from home to attend a college preparatory academy at
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of the chimney swift birds. Her observations were the first of their kind. Sherman collected 18 years of data using this tower.
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In 1915, Althea commissioned the building of a 28-foot tall, 9-foot square wooden tower which was designed to attract nesting
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posthumously, with publication limited to 1500 copies. Sherman's ornithological publications formed a part of ornithologist
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for observation. A staircase ran through the center with doors and peepholes so that
Sherman could observe and document the
414:"There are people who deny that the earth is round, and there are other people who deny that the house wren is a bad bird."
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for Oberlin College, which included sufficient financial resources for the college to begin teaching ornithology courses.
561:
685:"Walter Rosene, Jr. Letter to Pam Allen Regarding the Nomination of the Goldfinch as the Iowa State Bird, March 24, 1993"
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has approximately 250 of Sherman's bird illustrations in addition to various of her writings. She left in her estate a
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in the wild. This debate is sometimes known as "The Great Wren Debate" and has continued well into the 21st century.
385:, in 1919 Sherman's bird illustrations were in the first American Ornithologists' Union's exhibit of bird paintings.
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282:, to be closer to her older sister Ada. She later returned to her hometown in Iowa to care for her ailing parents.
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Althea Sherman (left) with her sister Dr. Amelia Sherman on the front porch of their family home, 1923.
843:"Picturing Nature: Education, Ornithology and Photography in the Life of Cordelia Stanwood: 1865-1958"
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625:” The Wilson Bulletin, vol. 42, no. 1, Wilson Ornithological Society, 1930, pp. 3–10.
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730:“Althea Sherman and the Birds of Prairie and Dooryard: A Scientist's Witness to Change”
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Because she was self-taught in her field of expertise, Sherman was an example of an
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30:
618:” The Auk, vol. 30, no. 3, American Ornithological Society, 1913, pp. 406–18.
396:. These publications resulted in an international reputation as an ornithologist.
1021:. Edited by Fred J. Pierce, University of Iowa Press, 1996. Accessed 6 Apr. 2022.
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154:, and writer who commissioned the building of the "Chimney Swifts' Tower" in
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158:. This structure enabled her to observe and report on the life cycle of
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845:(2002). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. The University of Maine.
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605:. Tower management was acquired by the Althea R. Sherman Project.
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775:. The Biographical Dictionary of Iowa: University of Iowa Press.
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172:. Additionally, her work as an illustrator, particularly of the
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Following her graduation from Oberlin College in 1875 with an
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632:” The Wilson Bulletin, vol. 27, no. 1, 1915, pp. 243–71.
814:"Iowa's woman ornithologist Althea Rosina Sherman 1853-1943"
347:
as 1911. Her articles were published in journals including:
399:
At times, Sherman expressed judgement about bird behavior.
493:
Photograph of a replica of Sherman's Chimney Swift Tower
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In 1892, Sherman became a supervisor of drawing in the
262:. She later returned to Oberlin College to complete a
824:(2): 19–33 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
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481:
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450:, with whom Sherman subsequently worked closely on
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630:Birds by the Wayside, in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
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235:. All three sisters subsequently enrolled at
8:
342:From her home in Iowa, Sherman followed the
505:Portrait of Sherman in a garden, circa 1923
405:quoted Sherman after observing behavior of
16:American ornithologist, artist and educator
1038:. Althea R Sherman Project. Archived from
319:. Instead, Sherman pioneered the study of
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247:, and the arts, especially illustration.
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266:in art in 1882. Sherman later taught at
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180:to adopt the American goldfinch as the
166:and was listed in the third edition of
1127:19th-century American women scientists
1112:20th-century American women scientists
929:"The House Wren: The Unjustly Accused"
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581:Life Histories of North American Birds
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895:
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691:. Iowa State University. 27 July 2018
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201:Farmersburg Township, Clayton County
900:Fisk, Erma J. (February 22, 1987).
523:History of the Althea Sherman Tower
116:leading authority on chimney swifts
732:, The Palimpsest 70(4), p.164-185.
616:The Nest Life of the Sparrow Hawk.
422:Photograph of Althea Sherman from
334:Sherman's Data on Growth Rates of
274:, leaving in 1885 to study at the
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956:"The Great Wren Debate Revisited"
858:Sherman, Althea R. (April 1911).
78:National Cemetery, Clayton County
1117:20th-century American zoologists
1107:19th-century American zoologists
1072:People from Clayton County, Iowa
663:scalar.oberlincollegelibrary.org
623:The Old Ornithology and the New.
588:State Historical Society of Iowa
560:. She was an honorary member of
517:
499:
487:
812:Taylor, Mrs H. J. (June 1943).
424:History of Clayton County, Iowa
338:Nestlings, as published in 1911
276:Art Students League of New York
107:Art Students League of New York
927:Waters, Hannah (20 May 2016).
860:"Nest Life of the Screech Owl"
603:Bickett-Rate Memorial Preserve
477:Media links for Althea Sherman
164:American Ornithologists' Union
146:(1853 – 1943) was an American
1:
841:Richardson, Cynthia Watkins,
553:Who's Who of Women in Science
787:"The Truth is Thrill Enough"
278:. In 1887, Sherman moved to
1077:American women illustrators
962:. Bluebirds Across Nebraska
609:Representative publications
1148:
507:(Oberlin College archives)
426:(1916) by Realto E. Price.
1019:Birds of an Iowa Dooryard
570:Birds of an Iowa Dooryard
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258:, Sherman studied at the
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120:
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260:Art Institute of Chicago
195:Early life and education
150:, educator, self-taught
103:Art Institute of Chicago
1067:American ornithologists
659:"Althea Rosina Sherman"
575:Arthur Cleveland Bent's
558:American Men of Science
169:American Men of Science
1132:Oberlin College alumni
772:Sherman, Althea Rosina
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1082:American illustrators
689:avian.lib.iastate.edu
465:Chimney Swifts' Tower
459:gender discrimination
433:competitive advantage
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383:Louis Agassiz Fuertes
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287:Tacoma Public Schools
272:Northfield, Minnesota
233:Upper Iowa University
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178:Iowa General Assembly
144:Althea Rosina Sherman
95:Upper Iowa University
23:Althea Rosina Sherman
1122:Scientists from Ohio
1102:Women ornithologists
908:. The New York Times
728:Wood, S. E., (1989)
628:Sherman, Althea R. “
621:Sherman, Althea R. “
614:Sherman, Althea R. “
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394:Birds by the Wayside
378:Avicultural Magazine
366:Journal of Mammalogy
344:scholarly literature
218:Mexican-American War
199:Sherman was born in
156:Clayton County, Iowa
1017:Sherman, Althea R.
986:The Wilson Bulletin
592:financial endowment
452:The Wilson Bulletin
444:Margaret Morse Nice
1087:American educators
906:The New York Times
525:, as presented by
442:for ornithologist
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402:The New York Times
340:
312:
291:Washington (state)
229:
174:American goldfinch
1036:althearherman.org
935:. Audubon Society
902:"Birders, Unite!"
793:. Oberlin College
665:. Oberlin College
546:Honors and legacy
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306:1910 Sketch of a
298:Scientific career
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122:Scientific career
52:Farmersburg, Iowa
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954:Boyle, Barbara.
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252:bachelor of arts
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48:October 10, 1853
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355:Audubon Society
317:morphologically
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280:Wichita, Kansas
264:master's degree
237:Oberlin College
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182:Iowa state bird
176:, inspired the
99:Oberlin College
91:Alma mater
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1042:on 9 June 2017
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209:leather tanner
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160:chimney swifts
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69:National, Iowa
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66:(aged 89)
62:April 16, 1943
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1032:"Meet Althea"
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1044:. Retrieved
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1001:. Retrieved
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64:(1943-04-16)
1097:1943 deaths
1092:1853 births
933:audubon.org
791:oberlin.edu
448:Lynds Jones
407:house wrens
336:Screech Owl
148:illustrator
132:Ornithology
83:Nationality
1061:Categories
982:"Obituary"
637:References
540:life cycle
372:The Wilson
310:by Sherman
216:after the
214:land grant
189:autodidact
44:1853-10-10
601:, at the
360:Bird-Lore
960:bbne.org
578:treatise
527:Iowa PBS
375:and the
256:Fine Art
86:American
1046:9 April
1003:6 April
998:4157250
966:5 April
939:4 April
912:4 April
884:4071432
864:The Auk
797:9 April
695:4 April
669:4 April
381:. With
350:The Auk
996:
882:
482:Images
440:mentor
363:, the
353:, the
128:Fields
994:JSTOR
880:JSTOR
512:Video
245:Latin
241:Greek
1048:2022
1005:2022
968:2022
941:2022
914:2022
799:2022
697:2022
671:2022
586:The
556:and
205:Iowa
59:Died
38:Born
872:doi
357:'s
289:in
270:in
254:in
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
