Harry Forbes Witherby

Henry Forbes Witherby (* October 7, 1873, † December 11, 1943, better known as Harry Witherby ) was a British ornithologist, author, publisher and founder in 1907 of British Birds magazine.

The family company HF and G. Witherby, original printer, began in the early 20th century to publish bird books.

From a young age to Witherby devoted to the study of bird and traveled extensively. He visited Iran, the Kola Peninsula and the White Nile. He described in 1902 in his book Bird Hunting on the White Nile latter trip.

In 1909 he began the first organized bird ringing in Britain. Then he transferred the responsibility for this to the British Trust for Ornithology, who continued the Vogelberingungen until 1937.

Witherby was chairman of the British Ornithologists 'Club from 1924 to 1929 and President of the British Ornithologists ' Union 1933 until 1938.

He was a founding member and former Vice- Chairman of the British Trust for Ornithology. Witherby this organization funded primarily from the proceeds of sales of its extensive collection of stuffed birds in the British Museum.

Between 1938 and 1941 Witherby published one of the most popular standard works on British birds. The Handbook of British Birds was published in five volumes, and came in five editions until 1988 out.

In 1937 he was awarded the Medal Godman Salvin - BOU.

Witherby first described species of birds like the Obbialerche ( Spizocorys obbiensis ) and the Somali runner Lark ( Alaemon hamer toni ).

Literature on Witherby

• William Herbert Mullens, Harry Kirke Swann: A Bibliography of British Ornithology. 1917/Nachdruck 1986, ISBN 0-85486-098-3

• Ornithologist
• Briton
• Born 1873
• Died in 1943
• Man