James David Macdonald (ornithologist)
Encyclopedia
James David Macdonald was a Scottish-Australian ornithologist
and ornithological writer. A traditional museum ornithologist, he did much to build up the collections of African and Australian birds held by the British Museum, as well as popularising ornithology through his writings.
, 32 km (19.9 mi) from Inverness
in Scotland
. He attended Foyers Public School
from 1913 to 1924 before obtaining a bursary
to complete his secondary education at the Inverness Royal Academy
, from which he graduated Dux in Art in 1927. He studied natural science
at the University of Aberdeen
, graduating with a BSc
in Forestry
in 1930 and in Pure Science (botany and zoology) in 1932, following which he carried out research on decapod crustaceans
with the Scottish Fisheries Board
and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory
.
In 1935 Macdonald was appointed to a position at the British Natural History Museum
in London
where he was, despite his protestations of complete ignorance about birds, placed in the bird section as Assistant Keeper. Apart from service with the British Admiralty during the Second World War
, he stayed with the museum for the rest of his career, becoming Senior Scientific Officer in charge of the Bird Room and Deputy Keeper of the Zoology Department by the time of his retirement in 1968.
expeditions to the mountains of the southern Sudan in 1938–1939 and to the arid regions of south-western South Africa
and South West Africa
, including the Kalahari Desert
, in 1950–1951. In 1962-1963 he led the first of the Harold Hall Expeditions
to collect bird specimens in Australia.
, Australia, to write a book, Birds of Australia: A Summary of Information
, which was dedicated to Harold Hall and published in time for the 1974 International Ornithological Congress
in Canberra
. He was active in the establishment of the Queensland Ornithological Society
in 1969, of which he was the founding President.
Macdonald died peacefully in Brisbane at the age of 93, survived by his wife, Dr Betty Macdonald, to whom he had been married for 64 years.
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
and ornithological writer. A traditional museum ornithologist, he did much to build up the collections of African and Australian birds held by the British Museum, as well as popularising ornithology through his writings.
Education and career
Macdonald was born in the village of FoyersFoyers
Foyers is the name of a village in the Highland local government council area of Scotland, lying on the east shore of Loch Ness...
, 32 km (19.9 mi) from Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He attended Foyers Public School
Public School (UK)
A public school, in common British usage, is a school that is neither administered nor financed by the state or from taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees and charitable contributions, usually existing as a non profit-making charitable trust...
from 1913 to 1924 before obtaining a bursary
Bursary
A bursary is strictly an office for a bursar and his or her staff in a school or college.In modern English usage, the term has become synonymous with "bursary award", a monetary award made by an institution to an individual or a group to assist the development of their education.According to The...
to complete his secondary education at the Inverness Royal Academy
Inverness Royal Academy
Inverness Royal Academy is a secondary school located in the Culduthel area of Inverness, Highland, Scotland.- Catchment area :...
, from which he graduated Dux in Art in 1927. He studied natural science
Natural science
The natural sciences are branches of science that seek to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world by using empirical and scientific methods...
at the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
, graduating with a BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
in 1930 and in Pure Science (botany and zoology) in 1932, following which he carried out research on decapod crustaceans
Decapoda
The decapods or Decapoda are an order of crustaceans within the class Malacostraca, including many familiar groups, such as crayfish, crabs, lobsters, prawns and shrimp. Most decapods are scavengers. It is estimated that the order contains nearly 15,000 species in around 2,700 genera, with...
with the Scottish Fisheries Board
Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency was an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government. The SFPA is responsible for both deterring illegal fishing in Scottish waters, as well as monitoring the compliance of the fisheries industry in Scotland with the relevant Scottish and European Union laws...
and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Plymouth Marine Laboratory in the city of Plymouth, England is an independent collaborative centre of the Natural Environment Research Council . PML's Chairman is Terence Lewis and PML's Chief Executive is Prof. Stephen de Mora.They focus global issues of climate change and sustainability...
.
In 1935 Macdonald was appointed to a position at the British 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...
in 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...
where he was, despite his protestations of complete ignorance about birds, placed in the bird section as Assistant Keeper. Apart from service with the British Admiralty during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he stayed with the museum for the rest of his career, becoming Senior Scientific Officer in charge of the Bird Room and Deputy Keeper of the Zoology Department by the time of his retirement in 1968.
Expeditions
As part of his job with the museum, Macdonald organised bird collectingBird collections
Bird collections are curated repositories of scientific specimens consisting of birds and their parts. They are a research resource for ornithology, the science of birds, and for other scientific disciplines in which information about birds is useful...
expeditions to the mountains of the southern Sudan in 1938–1939 and to the arid regions of south-western South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and South West Africa
South West Africa
South-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa....
, including the Kalahari Desert
Kalahari Desert
The Kalahari Desert is a large semi-arid sandy savannah in Southern Africa extending , covering much of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa, as semi-desert, with huge tracts of excellent grazing after good rains. The Kalahari supports more animals and plants than a true desert...
, in 1950–1951. In 1962-1963 he led the first of the Harold Hall Expeditions
Harold Hall Australian Expeditions
The Harold Hall Australian Expeditions comprise a series of five main ornithological collecting expeditions carried out in the 1960s and covering much of the Australian continent.-Organisation:...
to collect bird specimens in Australia.
Retirement
In 1968 Macdonald moved to BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia, to write a book, Birds of Australia: A Summary of Information
Birds of Australia: A Summary of Information
Birds of Australia: A Summary of Information is a compact handbook on Australian birds published in 1973. It was authored by the originally British ornithologist James David Macdonald who moved permanently to Australia in 1968 following his retirement from a long career with the British Natural...
, which was dedicated to Harold Hall and published in time for the 1974 International Ornithological Congress
International Ornithological Congress
The International Ornithological Congress series forms the oldest and largest international series of meetings of ornithologists. It is organised by the International Ornithological Committee, a group of about 200 ornithologists...
in 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...
. He was active in the establishment of the Queensland Ornithological Society
Queensland Ornithological Society Inc
The Queensland Ornithological Society Inc , also known as Birds Queensland, was founded on 15 October 1969 when the Queensland branch of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union became defunct following drastic reform within the RAOU in the late 1960s. The founding President was J.D. Macdonald...
in 1969, of which he was the founding President.
Macdonald died peacefully in Brisbane at the age of 93, survived by his wife, Dr Betty Macdonald, to whom he had been married for 64 years.
Honours
Recognition of Macdonald's abilities and achievements as an ornithologist include:- Member of the Permanent Committee of the International Ornithological Congress
- Councillor and Vice President of the British Ornithologists' UnionBritish Ornithologists' UnionThe British Ornithologists' Union aims to encourage the study of birds in Britain, Europe and elsewhere, in order to understand their biology and to aid their conservation....
- Corresponding Fellow of the American Ornithologists' UnionAmerican Ornithologists' UnionThe 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...
- Fellow of the Royal Society of EdinburghRoyal Society of EdinburghThe Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
- Fellow of the Linnaean Society of London
- Fellow of the Zoological Society of LondonZoological Society of LondonThe Zoological Society of London is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats...
- Fellow of the Institute of BiologyInstitute of BiologyThe Institute of Biology was a professional body for biologists, primarily those working in the United Kingdom. The Institute was founded in 1950 by the Biological Council: the then umbrella body for Britain's many learned biological societies...
- Honorary Life Member of the Queensland Ornithological Society
Publications
As well as about 70 papers in the scientific literature, books authored or coauthored by Macdonald include:- 1949 – Birds of Britain. A guide to the common species. Bell & Sons: London.
- 1955 – Birds of the Sudan: Their Identification and Distribution. Oliver & Boyd: Edinburgh. (With Francis O. Cave).
- 1957 – Contribution to the Ornithology of Western South Africa. Results of the British Museum (Natural History) South West Africa Expedition, 1949-1950. Trustees of the British Museum: London.
- 1959 – Instructions to Young Ornithologists: Bird Biology. Museum Press: London.
- 1962 – Curiosities of Bird Life. Castle Books: New York.
- 1962 – Bird Behavior. Sterling Publishing: New York. (With Derek Goodwin and Helmut E. Adler).
- 1973 – Birds of Australia: A Summary of Information. A.H. & A.W. ReedReed PublishingReed Publishing Ltd. is one of New Zealand's oldest publishers based in Auckland, New Zealand, founded in 1907 by A H Reed. It is a New Zealand literature specialist and also general titles, publishing over 100 titles a year and including a number of significant New Zealand authors such as Barry...
: Sydney. (Illustrated by Peter Slater). ISBN 0-589-07117-3 - 1980 – Birds for Beginners: How birds live and behave. Reed: Sydney. ISBN 058950102X
- 1982 – Understanding Australian Birds. Reed: Sydney.
- 1985 – Australian Birds. A Popular Guide To Bird Life. Reed: Sydney. ISBN 0730100812
- 1987 – The Illustrated Dictionary of Australian Birds By Common Name. Reed: Sydney. ISBN 0730101843