Dawn Whyatt Frith

Last updated

Dr Dawn W. Frith OAM is an English born Australian citizen and ornithologist. She is now a self-employed private, independent, zoological researcher, consultant, natural history author, and publisher.

Contents

Dawn obtained her PhD, in littoral zone marine biology on a study of the biology of animals living on the littoral sponges with special reference to Halichondria panicea (Pallas), at London University and lectured in zoology before meeting Clifford Brodie Frith on Aldabra Atoll, Indian Ocean where she was a visiting scientist studying insects and he a staff scientist studying birds. Their full-time partnership began in April 1973. They married at Bangkok Central Police Station, in October 1975. In December 1977, they moved to tropical north Queensland, Australia, to start decades of field studies of bowerbirds and birds-of-paradise and other rainforest-dwelling bird species in tropical eastern Australia and in the Papua New Guinea highlands. Together they have published some 150 substantial scientific papers in international peer-reviewed zoological journals. Their studies are largely self-funded by proceeds from their own publishing partnership.

Dawn has written and illustrated many semi-scientific and popular articles in magazines worldwide, has acted as scientific and/or technical adviser and/or associate producer to various feature and television film makers. She has much experience of giving personal presentations at both popular and scientific levels, and also carries out ecological and avifaunal surveys for various environmental agencies in tropical north Queensland, Australia.

Zoologist

Dawn started her professional career as a zoology lecturer in England (1968–1973) before taking a year's absence from her position as a visiting scientist at the Royal Society of London Research Station Aldabra Atoll, Western Indian Ocean. Her research was focused on monitoring populations of terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates on Aldabra. All collected material was deposited at the British Museum (Natural History), London. In 1974, she became a senior marine biologist/advisor at Phuket Marine Biological Centre, Phuket Island, Thailand, being employed by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DANIDA), Copenhagen, Denmark.

Since 1977, Dawn, with Clifford B. Frith, has studied various aspects of tropical rainforest avifauna in Australia, New Guinea and elsewhere for over three decades. Her studies have resulted in many scientific publications (84 to date) on the behaviour, nesting biology, mating systems, and systematics of bowerbirds, birds-of-paradise, and other rainforest-dwelling bird species. Her systematic scientific studies have resulted in a major "definitive" ornithological text book - The Bowerbirds: Ptilonorhynchidae. She has performed part-time lecturing in Australia: at Monash University, Victoria and James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland.

Awards

In 1992, Dawn was awarded the Certificate of Honour by the Phuket Marine Biological Center "in recognition of support of the PMBC's endeavours in conducting research on marine science and conservation of marine environment and resources in Thailand".

In 1996, she was awarded the D. L. Serventy Medal for Ornithology, jointly with her husband Clifford B. Frith, by the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union - for original contributions to Australasian ornithology of international significance. They were also jointly awarded the 2006 Cassowary Award by the Australian Wet Tropics Authority – for the Arts Category "for an outstanding contribution to aesthetic appreciation of the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area". In 2008 they were awarded the prestigious Whitley Book Award in the Field Natural History section for their book Bowerbirds: Nature. Art & History. In 2011 they were awarded the prestigious Whitley Book Award for in the Popular Zoology section for their book Birds of Paradise: Nature, Art & History.

On June 14, 2021 Dawn was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for contributions "to conservation and the environment". [1]

Publishing

In July 1984 Dawn and Clifford established their small publishing house (initially and briefly called Tropical Australia Graphics and then Frith & Frith books) producing eleven high quality full colour natural history books: including the second edition of the large hardback book Daintree- Where the Rainforest Meets the Reef by Rupert Russell in 1994; and the second edition of the large hardback Cape York Peninsula: a Natural History by Clifford Frith and Dawn Frith. They also self-published the two large hardback books: Bowerbirds: Nature, Art & History (2008) and Birds of Paradise: Nature, Art & History (2010) written, designed and illustrated by themselves.

Bibliography of books and major book chapters

(* those works also illustrated by Clifford B. Frith's photography)

Related Research Articles

Bird-of-paradise Family of birds of the order Passeriformes

The birds-of-paradise are members of the family Paradisaeidae of the order Passeriformes. The majority of species are found in eastern Indonesia papua, Papua New Guinea and eastern Australia. The family has 44 species in 17 genera. The members of this family are perhaps best known for the plumage of the males of the species which are sexually dimorphic, in particular the very long elaborate feathers extending from the beak, wings, tail or head. For the most part they are confined to dense rainforest habitat. The diet of all species is dominated by fruit and to a lesser extent arthropods. The birds-of-paradise have a variety of breeding systems, ranging from monogamy to lek-type polygamy.

Bowerbird Family of birds

Bowerbirds make up the bird family Ptilonorhynchidae. They are renowned for their unique courtship behaviour, where males build a structure and decorate it with sticks and brightly coloured objects in an attempt to attract a mate.

Wilsons bird-of-paradise Species of bird

Wilson's bird-of-paradise is a species of passerine bird of the family Paradisaeidae.

Satin bowerbird Species of bird

The satin bowerbird is a bowerbird endemic to eastern Australia.

<i>Paradisaea</i> Genus of birds

The genus Paradisaea consists of six species of birds-of-paradise. The genus is found on the island of New Guinea as well as the nearby islands groups of the Aru Islands, D'Entrecasteaux Islands and Raja Ampat Islands. The species inhabit a range of forest types from sea level to mid-montane forests. Several species have highly restricted distributions, and all species have disjunct distributions. A 2009 study examining the mitochondrial DNA of the family found that the Paradisaea birds-of-paradise were in a clade with the genus Cicinnurus. It showed that the blue bird-of-paradise was a sister taxon to all the other species in this genus.

<i>Epimachus</i> Genus of birds

Epimachus is a genus of birds-of-paradise (Paradisaeidae) that includes two species, found in the highland forests of New Guinea. They are the largest members of the family. The common name "sicklebill" refers to their long, decurved, sickle-shaped bill.

Twelve-wired bird-of-paradise Species of bird

The twelve-wired bird-of-paradise is a medium-sized, approximately 33 cm (13 in) long, velvet black and yellow bird-of-paradise. The male has a red iris, long black bill and rich yellow plumes along his flanks. From the rear of these plumes emerge twelve blackish, wire-like filaments, which bend back near their bases to sweep forward over the bird's hindquarters. The female is a brown bird with black-barred buffy underparts. Their feet are strong, large-clawed and pink in color.

Golden bowerbird Species of bird

The golden bowerbird is a species of bird in the family Ptilonorhynchidae, the bowerbirds. It is endemic to Queensland in Australia, where it is limited to the Atherton region.

Spotted catbird Species of bird

The spotted catbird is a species of bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchidae) which can be found in north Queensland, the eastern Moluccas and New Guinea. Although it is a member of the bowerbird family it does not build a bower.

Paradise riflebird Species of bird

The paradise riflebird is a passerine bird of the family Paradisaeidae. It is one of four riflebird species in the genus Ptiloris. It is found in subtropical, temperate rainforests in eastern Australia. The species is sexually dimorphic; the male is black with iridescent blue-green patches, while the female is gray-brown and white.

<i>Ptiloris</i> Genus of birds

The genus Ptiloris consists of four allopatric species of birds in the family Paradisaeidae. These birds of paradise are commonly known as riflebirds, so named for the likeness of their black velvety plumage to the uniform of the Rifle Brigade. Alternatively, the bird's cry is similar to a rifle being fired and hitting its target but a call like this is not commonly reported. They are distributed in the rainforests of New Guinea and Eastern Australia.

Glossy-mantled manucode Species of bird

The glossy-mantled manucode is a species of bird-of-paradise.

Clifford Brodie Frith is a private Australian ornithologist and wildlife photographer. Dr Clifford B. Frith is an English born (1949) Australian citizen and ornithologist. He is an independent zoological researcher, consultant, natural history author, photographer and publisher.

Spotted bowerbird Species of bird

The spotted bowerbird is a sedentary, mid-sized passerine found across broad parts of the drier habitats of eastern Australia. The species is known for its remarkable behaviours, like many other bowerbirds (Ptilonorynchidae), which include bower building and decorating, courtship displays and vocal mimicry. Spotted bowerbirds are locally common, however, overall the population is thought to be in decline.

William Thomas "Bill" Cooper AO was an Australian artist. William was born in Adamstown NSW Australia to Coral Bird and William Cooper. He had one brother, Buddy Cooper. He was originally a self-taught landscape and seascape artist but achieved renown through natural history scientific illustrations, especially of birds. Cooper was also became a taxidermist in his teenage years.

Blood's bird-of-paradise, also known as Captain Blood's bird-of-paradise, is a bird in the family Paradisaeidae that is a hybrid between a raggiana bird-of-paradise and blue bird-of-paradise. It is named after Captain N.B. Blood who obtained the specimen through his travels in the East.

Rothschild's bird-of-paradise is a bird in the family Paradisaeidae that is a hybrid between a raggiana bird-of-paradise and lesser bird-of-paradise. It was named after British ornithologist Walter Rothschild.

Schodde's bird of paradise is a bird in the family Paradisaeidae that is an intergeneric hybrid between a Lawes's parotia and blue bird-of-paradise.

Rawnsleys bowerbird

Rawnsley's bowerbird, also known as Rawnsley's satin bird or the blue regent, is a rare intergeneric hybrid between a satin bowerbird and a regent bowerbird.

<i>Litsea bindoniana</i> Species of tree

Litsea bindoniana, known as the big-leaved bollywood is a rainforest tree in the laurel family. A small to medium-sized bushy tree endemic to the rainforests of tropical Queensland, Australia. It features large leaves with attractive yellow venation, 25 cm (10 in) long by 10 cm (4 in) wide. They are dark green above, and paler and somewhat hairy below. The leaf stalks are hairy. The small greenish flowers are fragrant and occur from March to May. They are followed by fruits which mature from September to October, being a black drupe. Regeneration is from fresh seed, after removing the fleshy aril around the seed.

References

  1. "Dr Dawn Whyatt Frith". It's An Honour. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-16.