Clifford Brodie Frith
Encyclopedia
Dr Clifford Brodie Frith (born 1949) is an English
-born Australian citizen and ornithologist.
author, photographer and publisher.
Frith’s early ornithological positions included the Taronga Park Zoological Gardens, Sydney
, The Natural History Museum
, London
, and the Royal Society of London Research Station, Aldabra Atoll, Indian Ocean
where he met his future wife Dawn Whyatt Frith
. Their full time partnership began in April 1973.
, Clifford studied aspects of invertebrate and vertebrate zoology while working as a freelance zoological photographer, artist, author and advisor. They married at Bangkok Central Police Station, in October 1975. In December 1977, they moved to tropical northern Queensland
, Australia, to start decades of field studies of bowerbirds and birds of paradise and other rainforest
-dwelling bird species in tropical eastern Australia and in the Papua New Guinea
highlands. Together they have published some 150 substantial scientific papers in international peer-reviewed zoological journals. Their studies are largely self-funded by proceeds from their own photography and publishing partnership.
Clifford has written and illustrated many semi-scientific and popular articles in magazines worldwide, has acted as scientific and/or technical advisor and/or associate producer to various feature and television film makers. He has much experience in personal presentations at both popular and scientific levels and has also been a specialist ornithological guest lecturer to specialist tours to the highlands of New Guinea. He also carries out ecological and avifaunal surveys for various environmental agencies in tropical northern Queensland, Australia.
For five years, Clifford was Honorary Book Review Editor of Emu – Austral Ornithology - the international peer-reviewed scientific journal of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union
, published by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Canberra
, Australia.
and Arnhemland areas. He was resident ornithological staff scientist on Aldabra Atoll, Indian Ocean for the Royal Society of London (1972–73). He then lived on Phuket Island in southern Thailand, until moving the Australia to live.
Since 1977, Clifford, with Dawn W. Frith, has studied various aspects of tropical rainforest avifauna in Australia, New Guinea and elsewhere for over three decades. His studies have resulted in scientific publications (136 to date) on the behaviour, nesting biology, mating systems, and systematics of bowerbirds, birds of paradise, and other rainforest-dwelling bird species. His systematic scientific studies have resulted in two major ‘definitive’ ornithological text books - one titled The Birds of Paradise: Paradisaeidae (1998) and the other The Bowerbirds: Ptilonorhynchidae (2004). In 2002 Clifford obtained his PhD at Griffith University, Brisbane, for his 1200 page thesis on Evolutionary studies of bowerbirds and birds of paradise: affinities and divergence.
in 1985; A Fragile Paradise by Andrew Mitchell
in 1989; The Great Forest by Mark O’Connor in 1989; and Hinchinbrook Island - The Land Time Forgot by Arthur Thosborne and Margaret Thorsborne in 1988. One or more of his photographs also appear in most of Sir David Attenborough
’s various natural history titles – such a Life on Earth, Living Planet, Life of Birds etc. His images also illustrate the Frith & Frith self-published books including the two latest lage hardback titles: Bowerbirds: Nature, Art & History published in 2008 and [Birds of Paradise: Nature, Art & History released in 2010.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born Australian citizen and ornithologist.
Life
He is a self-employed private, independent, zoological researcher, consultant, natural historyNatural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
author, photographer and publisher.
Frith’s early ornithological positions included the Taronga Park Zoological Gardens, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, The Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and the Royal Society of London Research Station, Aldabra Atoll, Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
where he met his future wife Dawn Whyatt Frith
Dawn Whyatt Frith
Dr Dawn W. Frith is an English born Australian citizen and ornithologist. She is now a self-employed private, independent, zoological researcher, consultant, natural history author, and publisher....
. Their full time partnership began in April 1973.
Career
In 1974, when Dawn took up a four-year appointment as a senior biologist and advisor at Phuket Marine Biological Center in southern ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Clifford studied aspects of invertebrate and vertebrate zoology while working as a freelance zoological photographer, artist, author and advisor. They married at Bangkok Central Police Station, in October 1975. In December 1977, they moved to tropical northern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia, to start decades of field studies of bowerbirds and birds of paradise and other rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
-dwelling bird species in tropical eastern Australia and in the Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
highlands. Together they have published some 150 substantial scientific papers in international peer-reviewed zoological journals. Their studies are largely self-funded by proceeds from their own photography and publishing partnership.
Clifford has written and illustrated many semi-scientific and popular articles in magazines worldwide, has acted as scientific and/or technical advisor and/or associate producer to various feature and television film makers. He has much experience in personal presentations at both popular and scientific levels and has also been a specialist ornithological guest lecturer to specialist tours to the highlands of New Guinea. He also carries out ecological and avifaunal surveys for various environmental agencies in tropical northern Queensland, Australia.
For five years, Clifford was Honorary Book Review Editor of Emu – Austral Ornithology - the international peer-reviewed scientific journal of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union
Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union
The Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, also known as Birds Australia, was founded in 1901 to promote the study and conservation of the native bird species of Australia and adjacent regions. This makes it Australia's oldest national birding association. It is also Australia's largest...
, published by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Australia.
Ornithologist
Clifford commenced his ornithological career on the ornithological staff at the British Museum of Natural History, London (1967–1970). Most of 1968 was spent in tropical Australia on the Fifth Harold Hall Australian Expedition to the KimberleyKimberley
-United States:* Kimberly, Arkansas* Kimberly, Alabama* Kimberly, Idaho* Kimberly Township, Aitkin County, Minnesota* Kimberly, Oregon, unincorporated community* Kimberly, Utah, abandoned town* Kimberly, Fayette County, West Virginia, unincorporated community...
and Arnhemland areas. He was resident ornithological staff scientist on Aldabra Atoll, Indian Ocean for the Royal Society of London (1972–73). He then lived on Phuket Island in southern Thailand, until moving the Australia to live.
Since 1977, Clifford, with Dawn W. Frith, has studied various aspects of tropical rainforest avifauna in Australia, New Guinea and elsewhere for over three decades. His studies have resulted in scientific publications (136 to date) on the behaviour, nesting biology, mating systems, and systematics of bowerbirds, birds of paradise, and other rainforest-dwelling bird species. His systematic scientific studies have resulted in two major ‘definitive’ ornithological text books - one titled The Birds of Paradise: Paradisaeidae (1998) and the other The Bowerbirds: Ptilonorhynchidae (2004). In 2002 Clifford obtained his PhD at Griffith University, Brisbane, for his 1200 page thesis on Evolutionary studies of bowerbirds and birds of paradise: affinities and divergence.
Photographer
Clifford is also a professional natural history photographer whose still photographs have appeared in innumerable general and specialist books and magazines worldwide. Transparencies were taken with 35mm and 6x7cm format cameras but all photography is now 35mm digital. He has been involved in still photography assignments including photographing wildlife, people and scenics for several major projects including the books: Daintree- Where the Rainforest Meets the Reef by Rupert RussellRupert Russell
Rupert Russell is an English playwright, actor, and comedian, and a member of the comedy troupe The Hollow Men. Rupert Russell was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He is the author of the play Moving Parts and has also written for the radio show Dead Ringers.On May 3rd 2009 he married...
in 1985; A Fragile Paradise by Andrew Mitchell
Andrew Mitchell
The Right Honourable Andrew John Bower Mitchell MP is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Sutton Coldfield...
in 1989; The Great Forest by Mark O’Connor in 1989; and Hinchinbrook Island - The Land Time Forgot by Arthur Thosborne and Margaret Thorsborne in 1988. One or more of his photographs also appear in most of Sir David Attenborough
David Attenborough
Sir David Frederick Attenborough OM, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS, FZS, FSA is a British broadcaster and naturalist. His career as the face and voice of natural history programmes has endured for more than 50 years...
’s various natural history titles – such a Life on Earth, Living Planet, Life of Birds etc. His images also illustrate the Frith & Frith self-published books including the two latest lage hardback titles: Bowerbirds: Nature, Art & History published in 2008 and [Birds of Paradise: Nature, Art & History released in 2010.