Michael Clarke is an Australian ornithologist. [1] He is an Emeritus Professor at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Victoria, [2] where he has worked since 1992. [1] He is especially known for his research into the evolution of cooperative breeding in honeyeaters, particularly the genus Manorina [ citation needed ] and for his work on the response of fauna and flora to wildfire. [2] In 2007, he was the recipient of the D. L. Serventy Medal, awarded by the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union for outstanding published work on birds in the Australasian region. [3] In 2023, he became a fellow of Birdlife Australia. [1]