The “Birdman of Alcatraz” is the nickname given to Robert Stroud, a federal prison inmate known for his studies and care of birds while incarcerated at the U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas and later at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. Despite his reputation, Stroud never kept birds while at Alcatraz itself.
Who was Robert Stroud?
Robert Stroud was born on January 28, 1890 in Seattle, Washington. His childhood was marked by abuse from his alcoholic father and he ran away from home at the age of 13. By the time he was 18, Stroud had become a pimp in the Alaska Territory and was known for his violent temper. In 1909, he moved to Cordova, Alaska where he was arrested for vagrancy. He later murdered a bartender who attacked one of Stroud’s prostitutes.
In 1912, Stroud was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 12 years in the federal penitentiary on Puget Sound’s McNeil Island. While there, he assaulted a hospital orderly and was sentenced to an additional six months. In 1915, Stroud knifed a fellow inmate to death at the penitentiary and was sentenced to hang. His mother Elizabeth campaigned for her son’s sentence to be commuted to life imprisonment, which President Woodrow Wilson did in 1920.
Bird studies at Leavenworth
In 1942, Stroud was transferred from McNeil Island to the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas. At Leavenworth, Stroud discovered a nest with three injured sparrows in the prison yard. He cared for the birds and started to raise canaries in his cell, ultimately keeping about 300 canaries.
Over his years at Leavenworth, Stroud hand-raised nearly 300 canaries and made detailed observations about avian diseases and behavior. He concocted his own medicines and diets for the birds, compiled a large bibliography on birds, and wrote two manuscripts – Diseases of Canaries and Stroud’s Digest on the Diseases of Birds. His writings represented a comprehensive study into avian biology and diseases. Stroud gained some level of fame as the “Birdman of Leavenworth”.
Stroud’s bird-related accomplishments
- Hand-raised nearly 300 canaries over his time at Leavenworth
- Made detailed observations and took notes on bird diseases and behavior
- Created his own bird medicines and specialized diets
- Compiled a large bibliography on ornithological research
- Wrote two comprehensive manuscripts on bird diseases
However, Stroud ran afoul of prison administrators when he used equipment in the prison hospital to manufacture alcohol for his bird medicines. In 1942, Stroud was transferred to Alcatraz.
Time at Alcatraz
At Alcatraz, inmates were prohibited from keeping pets or studying birds. Stroud was unable to continue his ornithology research. He did manage to secretly keep some birds – including a sparrow he rescued from the prison yard – in his cell for short periods of time.
While at Alcatraz, Stroud wrote two fictional manuscripts which were smuggled out of prison. Bobbie, an autobiography, and Looking Outward: A History of the U.S. Prison System from Colonial Times to the Formation of the Bureau Prisons. He spent 14 years at Alcatraz until it was closed in 1963, when he was transferred to the federal penitentiary in Springfield, Missouri.
Key facts about Stroud’s time at Alcatraz
- Inmates were prohibited from studying birds or keeping pets
- Stroud was unable to continue his avian research studies
- He secretly kept a few birds like sparrows for short times
- Wrote two fictional manuscripts smuggled out of Alcatraz
- Spent 14 years at Alcatraz until its closure in 1963
Later life and death
Stroud was transferred from Alcatraz to the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri in 1963. Despite his reputation, the quiet, elderly Stroud had difficulty being accepted by fellow inmates. He died at the Springfield institution in 1963 at the age of 73.
Robert Stroud never actually researched birds or wrote his manuscripts at Alcatraz itself. However, his long studies of canaries at Leavenworth Penitentiary earned him the reputation as one of the most famous inmates and self-taught ornithologists of his time.
Legacy and controversies
Stroud remains a well-known figure in American prison lore. However, there are a few controversies surrounding his story:
Debates over his accomplishments
- Some experts dismissed his writings as unscientific and merely compilations of other people’s research
- His medications and bird diets were viewed as dubious and potentially dangerous
- Critics felt his “Birdman” persona was exaggerated; in reality he was a dangerous inmate with behavioral problems
Controversy over birdkeeping
- The extent of his avian studies at Leavenworth is contested – estimates range from dozens to hundreds of birds
- Some accounts question if he illegally kept birds at Alcatraz or just briefly cared for injured wild birds
Media portrayals
- The acclaimed 1962 book Birdman of Alcatraz shaped public perception of Stroud as a misunderstood genius
- The 1962 film portrayed Stroud in a sympathetic light; some felt it exaggerated and glamorized his story
While Stroud remains one of the most infamous inmates in American history, the truth about his accomplishments and character are still debated by historians and criminologists.
Conclusion
In summary, Robert Stroud was a convicted murderer best known for his avian studies at Leavenworth Prison in the 1920s-1940s. Though he smuggled some injured birds into his cell briefly, Stroud never actually kept birds or conducted ornithology research while at Alcatraz from 1942-1963. Controversies remain over how groundbreaking his writings were and the extent of his birdkeeping activities. Stroud’s story remains one of the most intriguing tales in U.S. prison history, captured in the popular 1962 book and movie Birdman of Alcatraz.