Gerard Frederick van Tets
Encyclopedia
Gerard Frederick van Tets (1929-1995), otherwise known as Jerry van Tets, was a twentieth century English ornithologist and paleontologist. Born in London
on 19 January 1929, he became a member of the American Ornithologists' Union
in 1958 and studied at the University of British Columbia
, obtaining his PhD
in 1963. In November 1963, he married Patricia Anne Johnston in Vancouver, British Columbia, moving shortly thereafter to Australia, where he joined the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
in the Division of Wildlife and Ecology, now the Division of Sustainable Ecosystems.
Gerard van Tets received recognition for his studies on bird strike
damage to aircraft, and later for his studies of the bird bones in the Australian National Wildlife Collection
, including those of the extinct Tasman Booby
which he described scientifically in 1988, and became a specialist authority on the mutton bird. He died on 14 January 1995.
The extinct New Zealand Stiff-tailed Duck
, Oxyura vantetsi, was named in his honour.
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...
on 19 January 1929, he became a member of the American Ornithologists' Union
American Ornithologists' Union
The American Ornithologists' Union is an ornithological organization in the USA. Unlike the National Audubon Society, its members are primarily professional ornithologists rather than amateur birders...
in 1958 and studied at the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, obtaining his PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1963. In November 1963, he married Patricia Anne Johnston in Vancouver, British Columbia, moving shortly thereafter to Australia, where he joined the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is the national government body for scientific research in Australia...
in the Division of Wildlife and Ecology, now the Division of Sustainable Ecosystems.
Gerard van Tets received recognition for his studies on bird strike
Bird strike
A bird strike—sometimes called birdstrike, avian ingestion , bird hit, or BASH —is a collision between an airborne animal and a man-made vehicle, especially aircraft...
damage to aircraft, and later for his studies of the bird bones in the Australian National Wildlife Collection
Australian National Wildlife Collection
The Australian National Wildlife Collection is a collection of almost 200,000 zoological specimens, including skeletons, skins, spirit specimens, birds’ eggs, frozen tissue samples and a wildlife sound library, mainly of vertebrate animals from Australia and Papua New Guinea, which are stored in a...
, including those of the extinct Tasman Booby
Tasman Booby
The Tasman Booby or Lord Howe Masked Booby is a large seabird of the gannet family, Sulidae, described from bones found on Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands in the Tasman Sea...
which he described scientifically in 1988, and became a specialist authority on the mutton bird. He died on 14 January 1995.
The extinct New Zealand Stiff-tailed Duck
New Zealand Stiff-tailed Duck
The New Zealand Stiff-tailed Duck is an extinct duck species from New Zealand which is known only from subfossil remains. It was first described as a distinct species by Trevor H...
, Oxyura vantetsi, was named in his honour.
Selected publications of Garard van Tets
- Tets, G van, Meredith, C W., Fullagar, P J and Davidson, P M., 1988. Osteological differences between Sula and Morus, and a description of an extinct new species of Sula from Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands, Tasman Sea. Notornis, 35, pp 35–57.
- Tets, G van, 1985. Kadimakara: extinct vertebrates of Australia. Princeton University Press.
- Tets, G van, 1977. Guide to the Recognition and Reduction of Aerodrome Bird Hazards.
- Tets, G van and Kolar, Kurt, 1970. Continent of Curiosities - Animals and Birds of Australia.
- Tets, G van, 1969. Orange Runway Lighting as a Method for Reducing Bird Strike Damage to Aircraft.
- Tets, G van, 1966a. Bird-banding on and Near Christmas Island. The Australian Bird Bander 4. 59.
- Tets, G van, 1966b Two Dutch Quail-trapping Methods. The Australian Bird Bander 4. 36.
- Tets, G van, 1966c. Banding of Feral Domestic Pigeons. The Australian Bird Bander 4. 9.
- Tets, G van, 1965. A Comparative Study of Some Social Communication Patterns in the Pelecaniformes. The American Ornithological Union, Ornithological Monographs, Number 2 : pages 1–88 with 78 figures and 30 tables.