James Parsons Burkitt
Encyclopedia
James Parsons Burkitt was a civil engineer; he was County Surveyor in County Fermanagh
from 1900 until his retirement in 1940. Burkitt was a keen amateur ornithologist and studied European Robin
s in the garden of his home (called Lawnakilla) near Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
. He started ringing
the birds in October 1922, and his research, which was published in the journal British Birds
between 1924 and 1926, was one of the first studies of bird
behaviour and territory
to use rings that enabled individual birds to be identified in the field. Later, at Laragh
, Ballinamallard, County Fermanagh, Burkitt proved the longevity of one female robin. He had ringed this bird on 18 December 1927 and trapped her again on 14 July 1938 -- this robin was at least 11 years old, "the oldest living robin in the world".
Burkitt's work was greatly admired by David Lack
, who carried out further research on robins in the 1930s and 1940s.
Burkitt's elder son was the surgeon Denis Parsons Burkitt
FRS (1911-1993), for whom Burkitt's lymphoma
is named.
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
from 1900 until his retirement in 1940. Burkitt was a keen amateur ornithologist and studied European Robin
European Robin
The European Robin , most commonly known in Anglophone Europe simply as the Robin, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family , but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher...
s in the garden of his home (called Lawnakilla) near Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. He started ringing
Bird ringing
Bird ringing or bird banding is a technique used in the study of wild birds, by attaching a small, individually numbered, metal or plastic tag to their legs or wings, so that various aspects of the bird's life can be studied by the ability to re-find the same individual later...
the birds in October 1922, and his research, which was published in the journal British Birds
British Birds
British Birds could refer to* The magazine British Birds.* Birds recorded in Great Britain, see List of British birds....
between 1924 and 1926, was one of the first studies of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
behaviour and territory
Territory (animal)
In ethology the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics...
to use rings that enabled individual birds to be identified in the field. Later, at Laragh
Laragh
-Villages in Ireland:* Laragh, County Wicklow* Laragh, County Cavan* Laragh, County Monaghan...
, Ballinamallard, County Fermanagh, Burkitt proved the longevity of one female robin. He had ringed this bird on 18 December 1927 and trapped her again on 14 July 1938 -- this robin was at least 11 years old, "the oldest living robin in the world".
Burkitt's work was greatly admired by David Lack
David Lack
David Lambert Lack FRS, was a British evolutionary biologist who made contributions to ornithology, ecology and ethology. His book on the finches of the Galapagos Islands was a landmark work.- Early life :...
, who carried out further research on robins in the 1930s and 1940s.
Burkitt's elder son was the surgeon Denis Parsons Burkitt
Denis Parsons Burkitt
Denis Parsons Burkitt , surgeon, was born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland. He was the son of James Parsons Burkitt. Aged eleven he lost his right eye in an accident. He attended Portora Royal School in Enniskillen and Dean Close School, England...
FRS (1911-1993), for whom Burkitt's lymphoma
Burkitt's lymphoma
Burkitt's lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system...
is named.
Publications
- Burkitt, J. P. (1924–6) A study of robins by means of marked birds. British Birds 17: 294–303; 18: 97–103, 250–7; 19: 120–4; 20: 91–101.