Guns, Germs, and Steel

The main character is Jared Diamond. He is a professor.  Papua New Guinea is where he first went. He loves watching birds. He went to New Guinea when he was first 26 and has made returning trips ever since. Over the years he's gotten to know thousands of New Guinean's. He's picked up a lot about birds. Lived their for 40,000 years, more than any civilization.
"Why do you white men have so much cargo, and we New Guineans have so little?"