Peterson Field Guides

Throughout his life Peterson was recognized as an ornithologist‚ artist‚ author, and advocate for the natural world. In 1944‚ the American Ornithologists’ Union awarded him their highest honor‚ the William Brewster Memorial Award. The John Burroughs Memorial Association presented Peterson with the John Burroughs Medal for exemplary nature writing in 1950. Peterson earned the title Doctor of Science when he was awarded his first honorary doctorate by Franklin and Marshall College in 1952.
In the years following‚ other colleges and universities have bestowed honorary doctorates upon him. Two of his highest honors were to twice be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize‚ and being presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Bringing his love of nature back full circle to his grade school classroom where it all began‚ in 1986 the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History was founded in his name in Jamestown‚ New York‚ to perpetuate his life’s work.

New York State Legislature Award‚ 1987

Silver Buffalo Award‚ Boy Scouts of America‚ 1986

Eisenmann Medal‚ Linnaean Society‚ 1986

Connecticut Citizen of the Year‚ 1986

Award of Merit‚ Field Museum of Natural History‚ 1986 (upon the naming in his honor of the Cinnamon Screech-Owl‚ Otus petersonii)

James Smithson Bicentennial Medal‚ Smithsonian Institution‚ 1984

Presidential Medal of Freedom‚ United States government‚ 1980

Ludlow Griscom Medal‚ American Birding Association‚ 1980

Gold Medal‚ Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences‚ 1980

Gold Medal‚ Holland Society of New York‚ 1979

Order of the Golden Ark (Netherlands)‚ 1978

Master Artist Medal‚ Leigh Yawkey Museum‚ 1978

Sarah Josepha Hale Award, Richards Library‚ 1977

Horatio Alger Award‚ 1977

Linnaeus Gold Medal‚ Swedish Academy of Sciences‚ 1976

Green World Award‚ New York Botanical Society‚ 1976

Cosmos Club Award‚ 1976

Conservation Achievement Award‚ National Wildlife Federation‚ 1975

Oak Leaf Cluster Award‚ Audubon Naturalist Society‚ 1974

Gold Key Award as Outstanding Teacher of the Year‚ 1974

Explorers Club Medal‚ 1974

Distinguished Public Service Award‚ Connecticut Bar Association‚ 1974

Joseph Wood Krutch Medal‚ Humane Society of the United States‚ 1973

Gold Medal‚ World Wildlife Fund‚ 1972

Audubon Conservation Medal‚ National Audubon Society‚ 1971

Gold Medal‚ Garden Club of New Jersey‚ 1970

Frances K. Hutchinson Medal‚ Garden Club of America‚ 1970

Paul Bartsch Award‚ Audubon Naturalist Society‚ 1969

Gold Medal‚ Safari Club‚ 1968

Conservation Award‚ White Memorial Foundation‚ 1968

Arthur A. Allen Award‚ Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology‚ 1967

Certificate of Recognition‚ Wisconsin Society for Ornithology‚ 1964

Gold Medal‚ New York Zoological Society‚ 1961

Carey-Thomas Award honorable mention‚ 1959 (for A Field Guide to the Birds)

Geoffrey St. Hilaire Gold Medal‚ Societe Nationale de Acclimation de France‚ 1958 (for A Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe)

Certificate of Recognition‚ American Nature Study Society‚ 1953

John Burroughs Medal‚ John Burroughs Memorial Association‚ 1950 (for Birds Over America)

William Brewster Award‚ American Ornithologists’ Union‚ 1944 (for 2nd edition of A Field Guide to the Birds)