George Miksch Sutton

Who was George Miksch Sutton?

George Miksch Sutton was an American ornithologist and bird artist. He published numerous technical papers in ornithology as well as more popular works illustrated with his own art. His early artistic work was inspired and tutored by Louis Agassiz Fuertes. In 1931, he was the first ornithologist to find the eggs of the Harris's Sparrow, one of the last North American birds to have its nest and eggs described. He did extensive field work in the Arctic, Oklahoma, Labrador, and Mexico. He received his doctorate from Cornell University and held academic posts at the University of Michigan and the University of Oklahoma, Norman.

His book-length works include:

Mexican Birds: First Impressions

Iceland Summer

Oklahoma Birds

High Arctic

At a Bend in a Mexican River

Portraits of Mexican Birds

Fifty Common Birds of Oklahoma

To a young bird artist

Books illustrated by GMS include:

American Bird Biographies; author – Arthur A. Allen, Ph.D.; publisher – Comstock Publishing Company, Inc.; detail – ten color plates and ten wash drawings

The Golden Plover and Other Birds; author – Arthur A. Allen, Ph.D.; publisher – Comstock Publishing Company, Inc.; detail – seven color plates