Olin Sewall Pettingill Jr
Encyclopedia
Olin Sewall Pettingill, Jr., (October 30, 1907-December 11, 2001), better known as Sewall Pettingill, was an American
naturalist, author and filmmaker, president of the Wilson Ornithological Society
from 1948 to 1950, a member of the Board of Directors of the National Audubon Society
from 1955 to 1974, and a Life Fellow of the American Ornithologists' Union
.
, Pettingill atteded Bowdoin College
, where he developed an interest in ornithology
. Studying under the zoologist Alfred O. Gross, Pettingill conducted studies of the last three Heath Hen
s on Martha's Vineyard
in 1927 with Gross and Thornton Burgess
. In 1928, Pettingill enrolled in the University of Michigan
, then attended graduate school
at Cornell University
starting in 1930 - joining the AOU in the same year - where he conducted a PhD dissertation on the American Woodcock
.
to the 12th and 14th International Ornithological Congress
es, Pettingill was appointed Director of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
in 1960, a position he held until his retirement in 1973, and provided footage for four Walt Disney
nature films, including the Academy Award
-winning The Vanishing Prairie
, in addition to making several ornithological films of his own, including works on albatross
es, penguin
s, and the wildlife of island nations, which often aired as part of Audubon Screen Tours.
Tenured at Carleton College
for 17 years, Pettingill taught at the University of Michigan Biological Station for 35 years. Pettingill was awarded birdings highest honor, the Ludlow Griscom Award
, in 1982, and also received Cornell's Arthur A. Allen Medal in 1974, and the Eugene Eisenman Medal in 1985. Holding three honorary doctorates in science, Pettingill appeared on both The Today Show
and To Tell the Truth
.
Pettingill died December 11, 2001, in Bedford, Texas
.
Cinematography
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
naturalist, author and filmmaker, president of the Wilson Ornithological Society
Wilson Ornithological Society
The Wilson Ornithological Society is an ornithological organization that was formally established in 1886 as the Wilson Ornithological Chapter of the Agassiz Association. It is based at the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. It was named after Alexander Wilson, a...
from 1948 to 1950, a member of the Board of Directors of the National Audubon Society
National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation. Incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world and uses science, education and grassroots advocacy to advance its conservation mission...
from 1955 to 1974, and a Life Fellow 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...
.
Early life
Born October 30, 1907 in Belgrade, MaineBelgrade, Maine
Belgrade is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,978 at the 2000 census. Belgrade's population, however, approximately doubles during the summer months as part-year residents return to seasonal camps located on the shores of Great Pond, Long Pond and Messalonskee...
, Pettingill atteded Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
, where he developed an interest in ornithology
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...
. Studying under the zoologist Alfred O. Gross, Pettingill conducted studies of the last three Heath Hen
Heath Hen
The Heath Hen was a distinctive subspecies of the Greater Prairie Chicken, Tympanuchus cupido, a large North American bird in the grouse family, or possibly a distinct species....
s on Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
in 1927 with Gross and Thornton Burgess
Thornton Burgess
Thornton Waldo Burgess was a conservationist and author of children's stories. Burgess loved the beauty of nature and its living creatures so much that he wrote about them for 50 years in books and his newspaper column, "Bedtime Stories". He was sometimes known as the Bedtime Story-Man...
. In 1928, Pettingill enrolled in the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, then attended graduate school
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
starting in 1930 - joining the AOU in the same year - where he conducted a PhD dissertation on the American Woodcock
American Woodcock
The American Woodcock , sometimes colloquially referred to as the Timberdoodle, is a small chunky shorebird species found primarily in the eastern half of North America...
.
Career
Appointed a delegateDelegate
A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO, or a trade union) at a meeting or conference...
to the 12th and 14th 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...
es, Pettingill was appointed Director of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a member-supported unit of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York which studies birds and other wildlife. It is housed in the Imogene Powers Johnson Center for Birds and Biodiversity in Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary...
in 1960, a position he held until his retirement in 1973, and provided footage for four Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
nature films, including the Academy Award
Academy Award for Documentary Feature
The Academy Award for Documentary Feature is among the most prestigious awards for documentary films.- Winners and nominees:Following the Academy's practice, films are listed below by the award year...
-winning The Vanishing Prairie
The Vanishing Prairie
The Vanishing Prairie was a 1954 documentary film by Walt Disney. The theme music was given a set of lyrics by Hazel "Gil" George. It rechristened as "Pioneer's Prayer" in Westward Ho, the Wagons!, a western film about pioneers on the Oregon Trail....
, in addition to making several ornithological films of his own, including works on albatross
Albatross
Albatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, are large seabirds allied to the procellariids, storm-petrels and diving-petrels in the order Procellariiformes . They range widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific...
es, penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
s, and the wildlife of island nations, which often aired as part of Audubon Screen Tours.
Tenured at Carleton College
Carleton College
Carleton College is an independent non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The college enrolls 1,958 undergraduate students, and employs 198 full-time faculty members. In 2012 U.S...
for 17 years, Pettingill taught at the University of Michigan Biological Station for 35 years. Pettingill was awarded birdings highest honor, the Ludlow Griscom Award
Ludlow Griscom Award
The Ludlow Griscom Award for Outstanding Contributions in Regional Ornithology is an award bestowed by the American Birding Association upon individuals who are determined to have "dramatically advanced the state of ornithological knowledge for a particular region", through long-term studies of...
, in 1982, and also received Cornell's Arthur A. Allen Medal in 1974, and the Eugene Eisenman Medal in 1985. Holding three honorary doctorates in science, Pettingill appeared on both The Today Show
The Today Show
Today is an iconic American morning news and talk show airing every morning on NBC. Debuting on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre on American television and in the world. The show is also the fourth-longest running American television series...
and To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth is an American television panel game show created by Bob Stewart and produced by Goodson-Todman Productions that has aired in various forms since 1956 both on networks and in syndication...
.
Pettingill died December 11, 2001, in Bedford, Texas
Bedford, Texas
Bedford is a suburban city located in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, in the "Mid-Cities" area between Dallas and Fort Worth. It is a suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 46,979 at the 2010 census...
.
Works
Bibliography- Ornithology in Laboratory and Field, 1939 (5th edition, 1985)
- A Guide to Finding Birds East of the Mississippi, 1951
- A Guide to Finding Birds West of the Mississippi, 1953
- Enjoying Maine Birds, 1960
- Enjoying Birds in Upstate New York, 1963
- Enjoying Birds around New York City, 1966
- The Audubon Illustrated handbook of American Birds, editor-in-chief, 1968.
- The Bird Watcher's America, 1974
- Another Penguin Summer, 1975
- My Way to Ornithology, 1992
Cinematography
- Nature's Half Acre, 1951
- Water Birds, 1952
- The Vanishing Prairie, 1954
- Islands of the Sea, 1960