Constantine Walter Benson

Constantine Walter Benson OBE ( born February 2, 1909 in Trull, England; † September 21, 1982 in Cambridge, England ) was a British ornithologist.

Life and work

Benson was educated at Eton College and at Magdalene College in England; at Cambridge University, he was one of the best athletes in his class. He was then colonial officer and spent many years in the African bush to study the bird life there. By the time he became one of the most competent experts of the East African avifauna, especially the Comoros. His research first descriptions and discoveries include Ploceus ruweti ( Ruwet -Weber), Hirundo megaensis ( White-tailed Swallow or Benson Swallow ), Oreophilais robertsi ( Roberts Prinie ) Nesillas aldabrana ( Aldabrabuschsänger ), Otus mayottensis ( Mayotte Scops-Owl ) and Otus pauliani ( Comoros Scops Owl ). The Komorenbuschsänger ( Nesillas mariae ), he gave his wife in honor of the nickname Mrs. Benson's Brushwarbler. The Bensonrötel ( monticola sharpei bensoni ) has been named after him. After retiring from the service, he was an officer in 1965 Officer of the Order of the British Empire ( OBE).

Works

In addition to his participation in the Encyclopedia Grzimek's animal life are among his best known works, " A Checklist of the Birds of Nyasaland " (1953), " Checklist of the Birds of Northern Rhodesia " (1957), " The birds of the Comoro Islands " ( 1960), "A Contribution to the Ornithology of Zambia " (1967) "Birds of Zambia " (1971) and " The Birds of Malawi " (1977).