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 Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

and educated at University High School in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. He subsequently worked as a research technician in various institutions as well as lecturing in primary science at

Deakin University Deakin University is a public university in Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1974, the university was named after Alfred Deakin, the second Prime Minister of Australia. Its main campuses are in Melbourne's Burwood suburb, Geelong Waurn Ponds, ...

and leading

birdwatching Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, b ...

tours. During the mid-1960s he studied

royal penguin The royal penguin (''Eudyptes schlegeli'') is a species of penguin, which can be found on the sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island and adjacent islands. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the royal penguin as near th ...

s and

wandering albatross The wandering albatross, snowy albatross, white-winged albatross or goonie (''Diomedea exulans'') is a large seabird from the family Diomedeidae, which has a circumpolar range in the Southern Ocean. It was the last species of albatross to be descr ...

es on

subantarctic The sub-Antarctic zone is a region in the Southern Hemisphere, located immediately north of the Antarctic region. This translates roughly to a latitude of between 46° and 60° south of the Equator. The subantarctic region includes many islands ...

Macquarie Island Macquarie Island is an island in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, about halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica. Regionally part of Oceania and politically a part of Tasmania, Australia, since 1900, it became a Tasmanian State Reserve in 197 ...

. 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 ''Australian Field Ornithology'' is an online peer-reviewed ornithological journal published by BirdLife Australia. It covers topics relating to Australasian birds, including behaviour and ecology, with an emphasis on observations and data gain ...

''. In addition to his ornithological studies, while on

Simpson collected botanical specimens (mostly

Lichens A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among hypha, filaments of multiple fungus, fungi species in a mutualism (biology), mutualistic relationship.National Herbarium of Victoria The National Herbarium of Victoria ( Index Herbariorum code: MEL) is one of Australia's earliest herbaria and the oldest scientific institution in Victoria. Its 1.5 million specimens of preserved plants, fungi and algae—collectively known a ...

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria are botanical garden, botanic gardens across two sites–Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Melbourne and Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne, Cranbourne. Melbourne Gardens was founded in 1846 when land was rese ...

Honours

* Honorary Degree of Master of Science,

Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...

(1974) *

Australian Natural History Medallion The Australian Natural History Medallion is awarded each year by the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria (FNCV) to the person judged to have made the most meritorious contribution to the understanding of Australian Natural History. The idea origina ...

(1996) * President, Bird Observers Club of Australia (1996–1998) * Honorary Life Membership, Bird Observers Club of Australia

Publications

As well as numerous articles and scientific papers, books authored or coauthored by Simpson include: * 1972 – ''Birds in Bass Strait''. Reed: Sydney. * 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, , with several subsequent editions published by Penguin Australia (Viking) * 1987 – ''Birds of Australia Logbook''. Viking O’Neill Australia. * 1998 – ''Birdwatching in Australia and New Zealand''. (With Zoe Wilson). Reed New Holland: Sydney.

References

1938 births 2014 deaths Australian ornithologists Ornithological writers Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria {{Australia-ornithologist-stub Scientists from Sydney Academic staff of Deakin University