Ernest Thomas Gilliard
Encyclopedia
Ernest Thomas Gilliard was an American
ornithologist
and museum curator who led or participated in several ornithological expeditions, especially to South America
and New Guinea
.
Gilliard was born in York, Pennsylvania
. He began a lifelong association with the American Museum of Natural History
(AMNH) in New York
in 1932 by working there as a volunteer. In 1933 he was employed there as an assistant and subsequently passed through the full range of promotions to become Curator of Birds in 1963, dying unexpectedly in office two years later, in his 53rd year, of a sudden heart attack.
During the 1930s Gilliard was involved in expeditions to Quebec
, Newfoundland
and Venezuela
, and in the 1940s to Brazil
, the Philippines
and New Guinea
. The 1950s saw more expeditions, not only to New Guinea, but also to Nepal
and the West Indies. New Guinea, and especially its Birds of Paradise
and bowerbird
s, kept drawing him back, and he led a total of five expeditions there, his final one in 1964.
As well as numerous papers in the scientific publications of the AMNH, he wrote many illustrated articles for Natural History
and the National Geographic Magazine
. He wrote Living Birds of the World (1958), Birds of Paradise and Bower Birds (1969), and coauthored (with Austin L. Rand
) the Handbook of New Guinea Birds (1967). Gilliard was an expert photographer and cinematographer; he was involved in making the documentary Search for Paradise (1957), which was directed by Otto Lang
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ornithologist
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
and museum curator who led or participated in several ornithological expeditions, especially to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
.
Gilliard was born in York, Pennsylvania
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
. He began a lifelong association with the American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
(AMNH) in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1932 by working there as a volunteer. In 1933 he was employed there as an assistant and subsequently passed through the full range of promotions to become Curator of Birds in 1963, dying unexpectedly in office two years later, in his 53rd year, of a sudden heart attack.
During the 1930s Gilliard was involved in expeditions to Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, and in the 1940s to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. The 1950s saw more expeditions, not only to New Guinea, but also to Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
and the West Indies. New Guinea, and especially its Birds of Paradise
Bird of paradise
The birds-of-paradise are members of the family Paradisaeidae of the order Passeriformes. The majority of species in this family are found on the island of New Guinea and its satellites, with a few species occurring in the Moluccas and eastern Australia. The family has forty species in 14 genera...
and bowerbird
Bowerbird
Bowerbirds make up the bird family Ptilonorhynchidae. The family has 20 species in eight genera. These are medium-sized passerines, ranging from the Golden Bowerbird to the Great Bowerbird...
s, kept drawing him back, and he led a total of five expeditions there, his final one in 1964.
As well as numerous papers in the scientific publications of the AMNH, he wrote many illustrated articles for Natural History
Natural History (magazine)
Natural History is an American natural history magazine. The stated mission of the magazine is to promote public understanding and appreciation of nature and science.- History :...
and the National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic, formerly the National Geographic Magazine, is the official journal of the National Geographic Society. It published its first issue in 1888, just nine months after the Society itself was founded...
. He wrote Living Birds of the World (1958), Birds of Paradise and Bower Birds (1969), and coauthored (with Austin L. Rand
Austin L. Rand
Austin Loomer Rand was a Canadian zoologist.He was born in Kentville, Nova Scotia in 1905 and grew up in nearby Wolfville, where he was mentored by the noted local ornithologist Robie W. Tufts...
) the Handbook of New Guinea Birds (1967). Gilliard was an expert photographer and cinematographer; he was involved in making the documentary Search for Paradise (1957), which was directed by Otto Lang
Otto Lang (film producer)
Otto Lang , born in Tešanj, Bosnia-Herzegovina, was a skier and pioneer ski instructor in the United States. He founded ski schools on Mount Rainier, Mount Baker and Mount Hood beginning in the 1930s, and as the director of the ski school at Sun Valley became the ski instructor for Hollywood stars...
.