James Ferguson-Lees

I. James Ferguson-Lees is a British ornithologist. He spent his early years in Italy and France, but was educated in Bedford, England. He turned down the chance to study zoology at Oxford University in order to get married, and became a teacher for seven years."Personalities 40" SC, in "Bird Notes" Vol. 30 No. 2 p. 49, (RSPB) Spring 1962] As a boy, he was taught about birds by Bernard Tucker.

He was also a twitcher, once driving through the night to see a Dusky Thrush at Hartlepool.

In 1952 Max Nicholson persuaded him to become Assistant Editor of British Birds, then two years later, Executive Editor.

He was a member of the British Birds Rarities Committee from (1959-1963) and was responsible, with John Nelder and Nicholson, for debunking the Hastings Rarities - a series of rare birds, preserved by a taxidermist and provided with bogus histories.Nicholson & Ferguson-Lees, Op. Cit.]

He has made a particular study of Peregrines and Dunnocks.

He has at least two sons and two daughters.

Bibliography

* "Raptors of the World" by James Ferguson-Lees and David Christie, illustrated by Kim Franklin, David Mead and Philip Burton (2001) ISBN 978-0-7136-8026-3

Contributions

* "A field guide to the birds of Britain and Europe" by Roger Peterson, Guy Mountfort, P.A.D. Hollom. Collins, 1965
** new edition of 1954 work; revised and enlarged in collaboration with Ferguson-Lees and D.I.M. Wallace.
** 1971 impression: ISBN 978-0-00-212020-3
** 2004 edition: ISBN 978-0-00-719234-2

Significant articles

* Nicholson, E.M.; & Ferguson-Lees, I.J. (1962). The Hastings Rarities. "British Birds" (August 1962) 55(8): 281.

References