Oliver Luther Austin Jr. (May 24, 1903 – December 31, 1988) was an ornithologist who wrote the definitive study ''Birds of the World,'' eventually published in seven languages. At various times he was Director of the Austin Ornithological Research Center in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, Professor of Zoology at Air University and Curator of Ornithology at the

Florida Museum of Natural History The Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH) is Florida's official state-sponsored and chartered natural-history museum. Its main facilities are located at 3215 Hull Road on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville. The main pub ...

. At the time of his death, he was Curator Emeritus. In 1931 he was elected to the

American Ornithologists' Union The American Ornithological Society (AOS) is an ornithological organization based in the United States. The society was formed in October 2016 by the merger of the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) and the Cooper Ornithological Society. Its m ...

and was the editor of their journal ''

The Auk ''Ornithology'', formerly ''The Auk'' and ''The Auk: Ornithological Advances'', is a peer-reviewed scientific journal and the official publication of the American Ornithological Society (AOS). It was established in 1884 and is published quarterly. ...

'' from 1968 to 1977. Austin also served as editor of the ''Bulletin of the Florida State Museum'', a publication of the Florida Museum of Natural History. Austin grew up in Mt. Vernon, New York and attended A. B. Davis High School and the

Berkshire School Berkshire School is a private, co-ed boarding school for grades 9 through 12 located in Sheffield, Massachusetts, USA. History 1907–1943: Founding and early years Berkshire School (for boys) was established in 1907 at the foot of Mount Ever ...

. While in high school he was a member of the orchestra, glee club and the Rho Chapter of the Omega Gamma Delta Fraternity and played football. He was a graduate of

Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a Private university, private liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut. Founded in 1831 as a Men's colleges in the United States, men's college under the auspices of the Methodist Epis ...

, where he was a member of the Phi Nu Theta (Eclectic) Fraternity, and had a PhD from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

. After serving in the US Navy in World War II he went to Japan. He worked there in the

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. Austin was married to author and ornithologist Elizabeth S. Austin who also authored several birding books of her own. Oliver Austin co-authored ''The Random House Book of Birds'' with his wife, which was published in 1970. In addition to ''Birds of the World'', among his nine books, he wrote famous studies of birds in both Japan and the Republic of Korea. After Austin's death, a collection of his notes, illustrations and a number of early drafts of his book, ''Birds of the World'', were donated to the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

George A. Smathers Libraries The George A. Smathers Libraries of the University of Florida constitute one of the largest university library systems in the United States. The system includes eight of the nine libraries of the University of Florida and provides primary support ...

. Austin was responsible for introducing mist netting into ornithology by modification of techniques used by traditional Japanese trappers.

Publications

* Austin, Oliver L. (1948) The Birds of Korea, Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy at Harvard College * Austin, Oliver L. (1953) The Birds of Japan,: Their status and distribution, Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy at Harvard College * Austin, Oliver L. (1961) Birds of the World: Birds of the world; a survey of the twenty-seven orders and one hundred and fifty-five families. Illustrated by * * Arthur Singer. Edited by Herbert S. Zim, New York, Golden Press; 1st Edition * Austin, Oliver L. (1978) University of Florida Oral History Project. http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00005958/00001/1j

References

External links

The Oliver L. Austin Photographic Collection at Florida State University
American ornithologists Wesleyan University alumni Berkshire School alumni 1988 deaths 1903 births Harvard University alumni 20th-century American zoologists United States Navy personnel of World War II {{US-ornithologist-stub