Watch CBS News

Christian Cooper, the "Extraordinary Birder"

Christian Cooper made national news in May 2020 when, while birdwatching in New York's Central Park, a white woman called 911 to report that an "African American man was threatening her life" after he'd asked her to put her dog on a leash. His recording of their interaction went viral, just as the country was rocked by the George Floyd murder. Since then, he has hosted a National Geographic Wild series, "Extraordinary Birder with Christian Cooper," and written a memoir about growing up a closeted gay teenager on Long Island, titled "Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World." Nancy Giles reports.
View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.