The Breeding Birds of Minnesota: Book launch & talk

Minnesota is fortunate to have a remarkable diversity of birds—thanks, in part, to the unique variety of habitats across our state, including deciduous and boreal forests, wetlands, prairies, and grasslands. In the face of threats from habitat loss, invasive species, disease, and climate change, the conservation and survival of our bird populations depends on having an in-depth understanding of where birds live and breed in Minnesota. 

Join us for a special evening with two authors of the new book, The Breeding Birds of Minnesota—a comprehensive, detailed, illustrated history of Minnesota’s breeding birds, the first of its kind in nearly a century.

During a talk followed by Q&A, authors and ornithologists Lee Pfannmuller and Gerald Niemi will share their journey of writing and producing this incredible new resource on bird history, ecology, and conservation—and offer their insights, highlights, and key learnings.  

Doors open at 6 pm and include an opportunity to visit , a special exhibition featuring paintings that capture the beauty and diversity of the state’s natural landscapes. The authors’ talk will begin at 7 pm, followed by a moderated conversation, audience Q&A, and book signing.

Books will be available for purchase on-site starting at 6 pm.

About The Breeding Birds of Minnesota

The first comprehensive and in-depth assessment of Minnesota’s breeding birds in nearly a century, offers an unprecedented, extraordinarily detailed, finely illustrated account of 250 of those birds, including their historical and present breeding distribution, habitat, population abundance, and prospects for the future.

About the speakers

Lee A. Pfannmuller served as state planning coordinator and interim executive director at Audubon Minnesota and director of the Division of Ecological Resources at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, where she also spent fifteen years working with the Nongame Wildlife Program, the Natural Heritage Program, the Scientific and Natural Areas Program, and the Division of Minerals.

Gerald J. Niemi is a retired professor of biology. From 1988 to 2008 he was director of the Center for Water and the Environment at the Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota–Duluth. His research focused on birds, the Great Lakes, conservation, and natural resource sustainability.

Host or Publisher Bell Museum