Woodward Hart Brown, dedicated Iowa ornithologist, studied and wrote about the birds of Iowa and the world. Brown was also a committed member of the Iowa Ornithologists' Union for many years. This collection contains correspondence, bird reports, bird check lists, log books, maps and publications relating to ornithology. The collection documents Brown's ornithology work primarily in Iowa but also nationally and worldwide. The bulk of this collection contains bird check lists and log books.

Woodward "Woody" Hart Brown was born in 1917 in St. Louis, and was known for his work in the field of ornithology. A member of the Iowa Ornithologists' Union (beginning in 1947) and the Des Moines Audubon Society. Brown undertook numerous projects and offices with the Iowa Ornithologists Union including Editor of the Field Notes section of Iowa Bird Life (December 1961- June 1976), Treasurer (June 1968-June 1972), indexer of Iowa Bird Life (1951-1965 issues), and compiler of numerous Iowa Christmas censuses.

Brown published several articles on birds, including for the National Audubon Society, and served as an editor of Iowa Bird Life magazine. Brown wrote "An Annotated List of the Birds of Iowa" for the Iowa State Journal of Science in 1971. This publication was later turned into a pamphlet, and contained information on the current status of birds found in the state of Iowa.

Brown worked as an auditor for the American Mutual Life Insurance company until his retirement in 1961.

Brown married Mary Gibbons on June 22, 1927. They lived in St. Louis until 1940 when they moved to Des Moines. Together they had a daughter, Wray Brown Stevens. Brown died from cancer on Tuesday, April 8, 1980, at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

The collection (1890-1980, undated) contains correspondence, reports, bird check lists, maps and Brown's publications relating to ornithology. The bulk of this collection contains bird check lists and log books.

The collection documents Brown's ornithology work primarily in Iowa but also nationally and worldwide. The checklists are primarily for Iowa but also include other states and South American countries. Bird migrations and their populations are described in the reports.  The publications discuss a variety of birds including raptors, black and turkey vultures, and hairy woodpeckers.

Iowa Ornithologists Union, MS 166
Iowa Ornithological Association, MS 581

Other collections of ornithologists can be found in the Special Collections Department including:

Philip A. DuMont, MS 153
Frederic Leopold Papers, MS 113
Walter M. Rosene Papers, MS 589
Althea R. Sherman, MS 462

A selected bibliography of fine bird books housed in the department can be found here: http://findingaids.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/collections/finebirdbooks.html

The collection is organized alphabetically.