Ellen Margery McCulloch OAM (23 April 1930 – 13 November 2005) was a

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a me ...

-based Australian nature writer and amateur

ornithologist Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the "methodological study and consequent knowledge of birds with all that relates to them." Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and th ...

who had a long association with Bird Observation & Conservation Australia (BOCA, formerly the Bird Observers Club).

Life

McCulloch became a member of the Bird Observers Club in 1963, and of the

Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union The Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union (RAOU), now part of BirdLife Australia, was Australia's largest non-government, non-profit, bird conservation organisation. It was founded in 1901 to promote the study and bird conservation, conservati ...

(RAOU, now Birds Australia) in 1964. She served the RAOU as its publicity officer in 1968–1969, and as an inaugural member of its Field Investigation Committee 1970–1973. She also served as the Honorary Secretary of BOCA 1975–1982, and subsequently for many years as its public relations officer. She gave lectures and ran tours for the Council for Adult Education in Melbourne. With Reg Johnson she was one of the main instigators of the

Land for Wildlife Land for Wildlife is a program sponsored by the Department of Sustainability and Environment in the state of Victoria, Australia. It was established in November 1981 to support private landholders and managers who voluntarily provide and enhance ...

scheme, established in 1981 to support the conservation efforts of private landholders in Victoria. She also represented BOCA on various government and academic committees related to animal ethics and bird protection.Encyclopedia of Australian Science.

Honours

* 1985 – Life membership of the Bird Observers Club * 1990 –

Australian Natural History Medallion The Australian Natural History Medallion is awarded each year by the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria (FNCV) to the person judged to have made the most meritorious contribution to the understanding of Australian Natural History. The idea origin ...

* 1991 –

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Go ...

Medal

Publications

As well as numerous articles about birds, books authored or co-authored by McCulloch include: * 1970 – ''Some Garden Birds of South-East Australia''. (With Tess Kloot, illustrated by Rex Davies). Collins: Sydney. * 1980 – ''Birds of Australian Gardens''. (With Tess Kloot, illustrated by Peter Trusler). Rigby: Australia. * 1980 – ''Birds of Blackburn Lake, City of Nunawading''. (With Geoff Deason, Rex Buckingham and Frank Stephens). Bird Observers Club: Melbourne. * 1987 – ''Your Garden Birds''. Hyland House: Melbourne. * 2000 – ''Birds in Your Garden''. Hyland House: Melbourne.

References

Notes

Sources

* * 1930 births 2005 deaths Australian ornithologists Women ornithologists Australian nature writers Writers from Melbourne Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia 20th-century Australian zoologists {{Australia-ornithologist-stub