Edward Avis

Edward Avis was the stage name of Martin E. Sullivan (1872 - 1955?), an American violinist and stage performer known for his imitations of birdsongs. He performed on the stage in New England and was referred to by the press as "The Bird Man".

Sullivan was born in Enfield, Connecticut, and as you child he was said to go into the "woods with his violin and strike up a chorus among the birds". He also performed for blind audiences. He was a contemporary of Charles Crawford Gorst, Charles Kellogg and several others who specialized in the imitation of birds. His promotional brochures included reviews by John Burroughs and Winthrop Packard. Many recordings were made by Avis for Columbia Records and after the rise in popularity of the radio, he also contributed to radio shows.

He was interested in conservation and sponsored a 100 dollar reward for anyone who could find an undisturbed nest of the passenger pigeon in Connecticut as part of a national campaign to rescue the bird from extinction in 1910.