Phoebe Snetsinger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Phoebe Snetsinger
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| Born |
Phoebe Geddes Burnett
June 9, 1931 |
| Died | November 23, 1999 (aged 68) |
| Education | Swarthmore College |
| Known for | Birding |
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Notable work
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Birding on Borrowed Time |
| Spouse(s) | David Snetsinger |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent(s) | Leo Burnett (father) |
Phoebe Snetsinger (born Burnett; June 9, 1931 – November 23, 1999) was an American birder. She was famous for seeing and documenting 8,398 different bird species. At the time, this was more than anyone else in history. She was also the first person to see over 8,000 species.
Her book, Birding on Borrowed Time, tells the story of her amazing achievement. Phoebe traveled all over the world many times. She wanted to find birds in their natural homes. People said she had an excellent memory and loved a good challenge.
When she was 50, Phoebe was diagnosed with a serious illness. After this, she became very passionate about birding. She was known as a very careful observer. She kept detailed notes about all the birds she saw. Her many trips around the world often took her to faraway places. These journeys could sometimes be dangerous. She was driven to compete and see the most birds because of her health. Phoebe died in a vehicle accident while birding in Madagascar. This happened about 18 years after her diagnosis.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Phoebe Burnett was born on June 9, 1931. Her parents were Naomi Geddes and Leo Burnett. She grew up in Lake Zurich, Illinois. Her father, Leo Burnett, was a very important person in the advertising world. Phoebe inherited many of his traits. She also received a lot of money after he died in 1971. This money helped her pay for many trips for her birdwatching hobby later in life.
She went to a very small elementary school in Lake Zurich. There were only two other students with her. When she was 11, she met her future husband, David Snetsinger. He was 13 at the time, and they met at a 4-H club.
Phoebe studied at Swarthmore College. She earned a degree in the German language. After college, she taught at a nearby girls' school. Later, she earned a master's degree in German literature.
Birding Adventures and Health Challenges
Phoebe Snetsinger started birding after seeing a Blackburnian warbler in 1961. Her first birdwatching trip was in 1965. She went to Minnesota with a friend. By the 1970s, she was well-known in her local area as a successful birder.
Phoebe became even more determined to find birds after a serious health diagnosis in 1981. She was 50 years old. Instead of staying home, she took a trip to Alaska to watch birds. When she returned, her health had improved. Her health would improve for about five years at a time, then the problem would return. She had surgery for one of these times. After that Alaska trip, Phoebe traveled widely to identify birds. She wanted to see new places in the world. She visited remote areas, sometimes where political conditions were not stable. This helped her add to her growing list of birds. As an amateur ornithologist (someone who studies birds), she took many detailed notes. She especially noted different types of birds within a species. Many of these have since been classified as completely new species.
When Phoebe started watching birds, there were about 8,500 known species. By the year she died, there were about 10,000. In 1995, she sent a list of 8,040 species she had seen. She sent it to the American Birding Association (ABA) and the Guinness Book of World Records. She was the first person to see more than 8,000 species, which she did in 1995. By the time she died, she had identified and documented 8,398 species. This was almost 85% of all known species in the world! Her observations included 2,000 birds that were the only species in their group. Her detailed notes were expected to make her list even longer. This is because some might be identified as new species after her death.
Phoebe traveled about four months each year. The rest of the year, she studied bird photos. She was very aware of the competition to see the most birds. Her mother once said this activity was like "a bird afraid of being caged." Phoebe even missed her mother's funeral and one of her daughter's weddings because she was on birdwatching trips.
Her journeys took her to deserts, swamps, jungles, and mountains. She visited every continent several times. During her career, she survived malaria. She also survived a dangerous boat accident. Once, she was even taken hostage in Ethiopia. Today, birding is much easier than when Phoebe did her work. Many countries now promote ecotourism to help their economies. Other birders see Phoebe as a pioneer. Tony Bennett, a birder who knew her, said she was the "consummate craftsman of bird-watching." He described her as intense and very knowledgeable.
Her Memoir: Birding on Borrowed Time
Phoebe Snetsinger's memoir was published after her death in 2003. It was called Birding on Borrowed Time. The American Birding Association (ABA) published it. They described the book as more than just a travel story. They said it was a deeply moving human document. It showed how Phoebe's passion for birds helped her cope with her serious illness.
Awards and Honors
In 1994, the Guinness Book of Records named Phoebe Snetsinger the "world's leading bird-watcher."
In a 1995 interview, Phoebe said that a serious birder who goes out with experienced friends once a week might see 200 new species in a year. She said she once did this. However, after a year like that, the pace slows down a lot. This is because you would have seen almost all the common species in your area. She was recognized as the "current world record holder, with more than 8,000 bird species to her credit."
In 1999, the Guinness Book of Records said about Phoebe Snetsinger: "TOP BIRD-WATCHERS Phoebe Snetsinger of Webster Groves, Missouri, has spotted 8,040 of the 9,700 known bird species since 1965."
In 2010, she was described as one of only two people ever to see more than 8,000 species of birds.
To honor Phoebe on her 85th birthday, a special Google Doodle was posted on June 9, 2016.
Death
On November 23, 1999, Phoebe was on a birding trip in Madagascar. The van she was riding in overturned. She died instantly. The last bird she saw before the accident was the red-shouldered vanga. This bird species had only been described as new to science two years earlier, in 1997.
Personal Life
Phoebe and David Snetsinger had four children. Three of them became bird researchers in the United States. When Phoebe died, Carol was researching birds in Alaska and Montana. Susan was studying the spotted owl in the Northwest U.S. Thomas was researching endangered species of birds for the government. Their third daughter, Penny, is a chemistry professor at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut.
At the time of her death, Phoebe Snetsinger lived in Webster Groves, Missouri. This is a suburb of St. Louis.
See also
In Spanish: Phoebe Snetsinger para niños
