This event is part of Environment for the Americas Bird Book Club

Feathers can tell remarkable stories—if you know how to read them. Join Environment for the Americas for our June Bird Book Club as we chat with award-winning journalist and author Chris Sweeney about his book The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne. This gripping true story introduces readers to Roxie Laybourne, the world’s first forensic ornithologist and an unsung scientific pioneer. In the early days of commercial air travel, when bird strikes posed deadly risks, Roxie used nothing more than a microscope and fragments of feathers to identify bird species involved in airplane crashes—work that would save lives and change aviation safety forever.

From solving crimes for the FBI to helping NASA and the U.S. Air Force prevent future disasters, Roxie’s career unfolded largely behind the scenes of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. While others traveled the globe, she stayed with her birds—quietly building an entirely new scientific field through persistence, ingenuity, and an unshakable passion for ornithology.

In this engaging conversation, we’ll explore the fascinating science of feather forensics, the challenges Roxie faced as a woman in a male-dominated field, and how tiny clues can lead to world-changing discoveries.

Perfect for bird lovers, history buffs, true-story fans, and anyone curious about the unexpected ways birds intersect with human lives. Come ready to ask questions, share curiosity, and look at feathers in a whole new way.