Ken Simpson

Kenneth (Ken) Nigel Graham Simpson (1938 – 9 July 2014) was an Australian ornithologist and ornithological writer best known as the coauthor, with artist Nicolas Day, of the Simpson & Day field guide to Australian birds.

Simpson was born in Sydney and educated at University High School in Melbourne. He subsequently worked as a research technician in various institutions as well as lecturing in primary science at Deakin University and leading birdwatching tours. During the mid-1960s he studied royal penguins and wandering albatrosses on subantarctic Macquarie Island. He had a long association with the Bird Observers Club of Australia (BOCA), which he joined at the age of 11 in 1949, and was involved in editorial work with the BOCA journal Australian Bird Watcher.[1][2]

In addition to his ornithological studies, while on Macquarie Island Simpson collected botanical specimens (mostly Lichens). The specimens are held at the National Herbarium of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria.[3]

Honours

Publications

As well as numerous articles and scientific papers, books authored or coauthored by Simpson include:

  • 1972 – Birds in Bass Strait. Reed: Sydney. ISBN 0-589-07108-4
  • 1984–2010 – Field Guide to the Birds of Australia (with Nicolas Day), first published as The Birds of Australia – a Book of Identification by Lloyd O’Neil: Melbourne, ISBN 0-85550-492-7, with several subsequent editions published by Penguin Australia (Viking)
  • 1987 – Birds of Australia Logbook. Viking O’Neill Australia. ISBN 0-670-90015-X
  • 1998 – Birdwatching in Australia and New Zealand. (With Zoe Wilson). Reed New Holland: Sydney. ISBN 1-876334-06-1

References
  1. Walker, Rosanne (4 July 2012). "Simpson, Ken". Encyclopedia of Australian Science. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  2. "Vale Ken Simpson, 1938–2014". BirdLife Australia. 14 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  3. "The Australasian Virtual Herbarium". The Australasian Virtual Herbarium. Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (CHAH). 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.


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