Jean Théodore Delacour
Encyclopedia
Jean Théodore Delacour was an American
ornithologist of French
origin. He was renowned for not only discovering but also rearing some of the rarest birds in the world. One of the birds he discovered was the Imperial Pheasant
, later found to be a hybrid between the Vietnamese Pheasant
and the Silver Pheasant
.
Delacour was born in Paris
into a wealthy family and grew up on the family estate in Picardy
where he became interested in aviculture
and established a private zoo
. He attended good schools and achieved a doctorate in biology from the Université Lille Nord de France
. He served in the French Army
during the First World War
, a war which devastated the family estate, as well as killing his only surviving brother. Moving to Chateau Clères
in Normandy
, he created a second zoo, eventually donating it to the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle
in 1967. He went on numerous scientific expeditions to Indochina
, particularly Vietnam
, as well as to Venezuela
, the Guianas
and Madagascar
.
During the Second World War
Delacour lived in the USA, working as a technical adviser at the Bronx Zoo
as well as on avian systematics
at the American Museum of Natural History
. In 1952 he became director of the Los Angeles County Museum of History, Science and Art
, retiring in 1960. Thereafter he divided his time seasonally, spending summer at his estate at Clères in France, and wintering in the United States, mainly in Los Angeles.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ornithologist of French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
origin. He was renowned for not only discovering but also rearing some of the rarest birds in the world. One of the birds he discovered was the Imperial Pheasant
Imperial Pheasant
The Imperial Pheasant, Lophura × imperialis is a dark blue medium-sized, up to 75 cm long, pheasant with bare red facial skin, blue crest, crimson legs and glossy plumage. Female is brown with erectile short feather crest, blackish tail and primaries.The Imperial Pheasant is found in the...
, later found to be a hybrid between the Vietnamese Pheasant
Vietnamese Pheasant
The Vietnamese Pheasant, or Vietnam Fireback, is a species of gallopheasant. Discovered in 1964, it is endemic to central Vietnam. Its range concentrates around Ke Go Nature Reserve in Ha Tinh Province.-References:*...
and the Silver Pheasant
Silver Pheasant
The Silver Pheasant is a species of pheasant found in forests, mainly in mountains, of mainland Southeast Asia, and eastern and southern China, with introduced populations in Hawaii and various locations in the US mainland. The male is black and white, while the female is mainly brown...
.
Delacour was born in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
into a wealthy family and grew up on the family estate in Picardy
Picardy
This article is about the historical French province. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is a historical province of France, in the north of France...
where he became interested in aviculture
Aviculture
Aviculture is the practice of keeping and breeding birds and the culture that forms around it. Aviculture is generally focused on not only the raising and breeding of birds, but also on preserving avian habitat, and public awareness campaigns....
and established a private zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
. He attended good schools and achieved a doctorate in biology from the Université Lille Nord de France
Université Lille Nord de France
The University of Lille -Nord de France , located in Lille, France, is a center for higher education, academic research and doctoral studies located over multiple campuses in the Academie de Lille....
. He served in the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, a war which devastated the family estate, as well as killing his only surviving brother. Moving to Chateau Clères
Clères
Clères is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Geography:A large farming and forestry village situated by the banks of the Clérette river, in the Pays de Caux, some northeast of Rouen, at the junction of the D2, D6, D53 and the D100 roads...
in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, he created a second zoo, eventually donating it to the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
The Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle is the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France.- History :The museum was formally founded on 10 June 1793, during the French Revolution...
in 1967. He went on numerous scientific expeditions to Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
, particularly Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, as well as to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, the Guianas
Guyanas
Guyana is a country in South America.Guyana, Guayana, or Guiana may also refer to:*Guayana Esequiba, the territory of Guyana claimed by Venezuela*Guayana Region, an administrative region of Venezuela...
and Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
.
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...
Delacour lived in the USA, working as a technical adviser at the Bronx Zoo
Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo is located in the Bronx borough of New York City, within Bronx Park. It is the largest metropolitan zoo in the United States, comprising of park lands and naturalistic habitats, through which the Bronx River flows....
as well as on avian systematics
Systematics
Biological systematics is the study of the diversification of terrestrial life, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time. Relationships are visualized as evolutionary trees...
at the American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
. In 1952 he became director of the Los Angeles County Museum of History, Science and Art
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County opened in Exposition Park, Los Angeles, California, USA in 1913 as the Museum of History, Science, and Art. The moving force behind it was a museum association founded in 1910. Its distinctive main building, with fitted marble walls and domed and...
, retiring in 1960. Thereafter he divided his time seasonally, spending summer at his estate at Clères in France, and wintering in the United States, mainly in Los Angeles.