Niels Kjærbølling

Niels Kjærbølling by Budtz Müller

Niels Kjærbølling (11 October 1806 - 2 January 1871) was a Danish ornithological writer and lithographer.

With vivid interest in nature, Kjærbølling used here all his spare time to botanical studies and to make observations of bird life. 1843 he published a handbook of outdoor and flower gardening, and the following year, he had the post of inspector know from having the company of Jutland, Funen and Schleswig created gardens at Snoghøj.

His more famous works include Ornithologia danica, Danmarks Fugle (Birds of Denmark or "national birds"), produced during 1847-1852, and his collection titled Skandinaviens Fugle (Birds of Scandinavia) which are descriptions of birds accompanied by lithographed drawings of the birds on hand-coloured plates. His works became very popular and spread public interest in Danish birds and bird spotting.

In 1859 he founded the Copenhagen Zoo in Prinsess Vilhelmines's summer garden at Frederiksberg Palace which was given to him by the chief directorate of Copenhagen as recognition for his work. After his death the garden was inherited by his son Frederick Hugo Kjærbølling (1844-1904), who in 1872 handed it over to a company.