Frank Norman Robinson
Encyclopedia
Frank Norman Robinson was an Australia
n sound recording technician and ornithologist who worked for many years with the CSIRO. He was born in England
, studied economics and languages at Cambridge University, joined the British American Tobacco
Company and was stationed in Singapore
. During the Second World War he was interned by Japanese forces
in Sumatra
. Following the War he was advised, for health reasons, not to live in the tropics
, and in 1949 he settled with his family in Australia.
From 1951 to 1960 he was Technical Secretary with the newly formed CSIRO Wildlife Survey Section. He set up the Division of Wildlife's first sound laboratory 1961-1965 and was instrumental in establishing the CSIRO Wildlife Sound Library. In 1965 he transferred to Western Australia
where he retired in 1971. During his career with CSIRO he was involved in pioneering studies, involving sound recording, of Superb Lyrebird
s and Noisy Scrub-birds
. He wrote many scientic papers, mainly dealing with bird song
and vocal mimicry. Following retirement he continued his interest in sound recording and was generous in passing on his expertise to others. He was described by Ian Rowley
as the 'father of Australian bird recording'.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n sound recording technician and ornithologist who worked for many years with the CSIRO. He was born in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, studied economics and languages at Cambridge University, joined the British American Tobacco
British American Tobacco
British American Tobacco p.l.c. is a global tobacco company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second largest quoted tobacco company by global market share , with a leading position in more than 50 countries and a presence in more than 180 countries...
Company and was stationed in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. During the Second World War he was interned by Japanese forces
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
in Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
. Following the War he was advised, for health reasons, not to live in the tropics
Tropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
, and in 1949 he settled with his family in Australia.
From 1951 to 1960 he was Technical Secretary with the newly formed CSIRO Wildlife Survey Section. He set up the Division of Wildlife's first sound laboratory 1961-1965 and was instrumental in establishing the CSIRO Wildlife Sound Library. In 1965 he transferred to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
where he retired in 1971. During his career with CSIRO he was involved in pioneering studies, involving sound recording, of Superb Lyrebird
Superb Lyrebird
The Superb Lyrebird is a pheasant-sized songbird, approximately 100cm long, with brown upper body plumage, grayish-brown below, rounded wings and strong legs...
s and Noisy Scrub-birds
Scrub-bird
Scrub-birds are shy, secretive, ground-dwelling birds of the family Atrichornithidae. There are just two species. The Rufous scrub-bird is rare and very restricted in its range, and the Noisy scrub-bird is so rare that until 1961 it was thought to be extinct...
. He wrote many scientic papers, mainly dealing with bird song
Bird song
Bird vocalization includes both bird calls and bird songs. In non-technical use, bird songs are the bird sounds that are melodious to the human ear. In ornithology and birding, songs are distinguished by function from calls.-Definition:The distinction between songs and calls is based upon...
and vocal mimicry. Following retirement he continued his interest in sound recording and was generous in passing on his expertise to others. He was described by Ian Rowley
Ian Cecil Robert Rowley
Ian Cecil Robert Rowley was an Australian ornithologist of Scottish origin. He was born in Edinburgh and educated at Wellington College and Cambridge University...
as the 'father of Australian bird recording'.