Mikhail Aleksandrovich Menzbier (Russian: Михаил Александрович Мензбир; 23 October 1855 – 10 October 1935) was a Russian ornithologist. Based in Moscow, he was a founding member of Russia's first ornithological body, the Kessler Ornithological Society. One of his major areas of work was on the taxonomy of

birds of prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predat ...

. Menzbier was a professor of comparative anatomy at Moscow University from 1886 until 1911, when he resigned in protest against the oppressive treatment of students there. Following the Russian Revolution in 1917 he became

Rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...

of the University. As well as being a member of the

Russian Academy of Sciences The Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS; russian: Росси́йская акаде́мия нау́к (РАН) ''Rossíyskaya akadémiya naúk'') consists of the national academy of Russia; a network of scientific research institutes from across ...

, Menzbier was elected an honorary member of the British Ornithologists' Union and the

Deutsche Ornithologen-Gesellschaft The German Ornithologists' Society (german: Deutsche Ornithologen-Gesellschaft) was founded in 1850, and is one of the world's oldest existing scientific societies. Its goal is to support and further scientific ornithology in Germany on all levels. ...

, and a corresponding member of the

Zoological Society of London The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. It was founded in 1826. Since 1828, it has maintained the London Zoo, and since 1931 Whipsnade Park. History On 29 ...

, of the

Société zoologique de France La Société zoologique de France ( en, "Zoological Society of France"), founded in 1876 by Aimé Bouvier, is a scientific society devoted to Zoology. It publishes a bulletin and organises the Prix Gadeau de Kerville de la Société zoologique d ...

and the American Ornithologists' Union. He is commemorated in the names of

Menzbier's marmot The Menzbier's marmot (''Marmota menzbieri'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae from Central Asia. Its name commemorates Russian zoologist Mikhail Aleksandrovich Menzbier. Distribution and habitat It inhabits meadows and steppe at ...

and the Menzbier Ornithological Society. Menzbier was a supporter of Darwinism. He has been described as "one of the most consistent defenders of the classical Darwinian approach to the

struggle for existence The concept of the struggle for existence concerns the competition or battle for resources needed to live. It can refer to human society, or to organisms in nature. The concept is ancient, and the term ''struggle for existence'' was in use by the ...

and of the selection theory in general."Todes, Daniel P. (1989). ''Darwin Without Malthus: The Struggle for Existence in Russian Evolutionary Thought''. Oxford University Press. p. 205.

References

1855 births 1935 deaths Corresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences Full Members of the USSR Academy of Sciences Honorary Members of the USSR Academy of Sciences Russian ornithologists Rectors of Moscow State University Soviet ornithologists {{ornithologist-stub