This is the first serious historical study of birdkeeping in America from colonial times to the present. It documents and discusses the various forms of commercial birdkeeping and the opportunities it offered to women and some minorities. Research into state and national political activities of birdkeepers and their sometimes strained relations with each other (hobbyists vs professionals, preservation of environment vs. commercial exploitation) are discussed. Bird are seen as a metaphor for American self identity(starting with the national symbol of the eagle) and, at times, for reform: the case of Robert Stroud “The Birdman of Alcatraz” is discussed at length. Problems of work and leisure are also thoroughly discussed and several interesting hypothesis emerge as to birds and human conduct.