Neville William Cayley
Encyclopedia
Neville William Cayley was a celebrated Australia
n author, artist and ornithologist. He produced Australia's first comprehensive bird field guide
What Bird is That?
. In 1960 it was rated the all-time best seller in Australian natural history and remains a classic birding reference to this day.
, in January 1886, he was the son of ornithologist and bird artist Neville Henry Cayley
, and consequently signed his name as Neville W. Cayley in his professional years. Cayley’s family moved to Sydney
in the mid 1890s, where he studied art and was a pivotal member in the Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club.
In 1918, his first work, the booklet Our Birds was published. Our Flowers and The Tale of Bluey Wren followed, both published in 1926. In the same period (1925-26), Cayley began illustrating birds’ eggs for the Australian Encyclopaedia
.
It was the first comprehensive field guide
to Australian birds and included full-colour paintings of each species, setting the benchmark for all Australian field guides to come. It remained the only available field guide from the 1930s (the first edition was issued in 1931) to the 1960s. Rather than create another book for birding’s elite, Cayley wanted to create one that was accessible to beginners. To this end, he organised the birds by habitat, which made them easy to find and identify, and included concise information on bird distribution, behaviour and breeding. The book became a classic, has been reprinted and repackaged in many formats, and remains in print to this day.
Following the success of What Bird is That?
Cayley published a number of other bird titles as well as paintings for What Butterfly is That? (1932) and Furred Mammals of Australia (1941). Cayley favoured watercolours and his vibrant pictures were steeped in sunlight and shadow. He often used bird specimens from the Australian Museum
as reference, and noted on the back of artwork which particular specimen he had used. His paintings were regularly published in the Royal Australasian Ornithologists’ Union’s quarterly journal The Emu
, and he wrote popular articles on birds for the weekly Sydney Mail
. Cayley held several art exhibitions and in 1932 one of his paintings was presented to King George V
.
For seasoned and emerging bird lovers alike, Cayley’s “big bird book” was finally published.
, he was elected President in 1932-1933. He was also President of the Royal Australasian Ornithologist’s Union
in 1936-1937. He was a Trustee of the Royal National Park
from 1937-1948 and was instrumental in establishing the zoological cabin there. Cayley was long associated with the Gould League of Bird Lovers of New South Wales
and was made an Honorary Life Member in 1935. The League published a large number of his paintings and his birds were reproduced on more than two million membership cards. Cayley truly believed in the value of ornithology and in memory of his father, he created a scholarship in Economic Ornithology at Sydney University
, to be administered by the League and funded by royalties from What Bird is That? The scholarship was eventually extended to post-graduate students involved in wildlife study or management relating to birds from universities around Australia. It endured for around 50 years, with the final two 'Gould League of NSW Cayley Memorial Scholarships' awarded in 2010.
Cayley was active in other community pursuits, including being a founding member of the Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club
and a member of the executive of the Surf Life Saving Association of Australia
and the Royal Life Saving Society.
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 author, artist and ornithologist. He produced Australia's first comprehensive bird field guide
Field guide
A field guide is a book designed to help the reader identify wildlife or other objects of natural occurrence . It is generally designed to be brought into the 'field' or local area where such objects exist to help distinguish between similar objects...
What Bird is That?
What Bird is That?
What Bird is That? A Guide to the Birds of Australia is a book first published in 1931 by Angus & Robertson in Sydney. Authored and illustrated by Neville William Cayley, it was Australia’s first fully illustrated national field guide to birds, a function it served alone for nearly 40 years...
. In 1960 it was rated the all-time best seller in Australian natural history and remains a classic birding reference to this day.
Early Years
Born in Yamba, New South WalesYamba, New South Wales
Yamba is a town in northern New South Wales, Australia at the mouth of the Clarence River. The first European to visit the area was Matthew Flinders, who stopped by in Yamba Bay for six days in July 1799....
, in January 1886, he was the son of ornithologist and bird artist Neville Henry Cayley
Neville Henry Cayley
Neville Henry Peniston Cayley was an Australian artist. He was born in Dover in south-east England, and migrated to Australia with his family around 1882. Through his meticulous and attractive watercolours of iconic species, he contributed greatly to public awareness of Australian birds. He was...
, and consequently signed his name as Neville W. Cayley in his professional years. Cayley’s family moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in the mid 1890s, where he studied art and was a pivotal member in the Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club.
In 1918, his first work, the booklet Our Birds was published. Our Flowers and The Tale of Bluey Wren followed, both published in 1926. In the same period (1925-26), Cayley began illustrating birds’ eggs for the Australian Encyclopaedia
Australian Encyclopaedia
The Australian Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia focused on Australia. In addition to biographies of notable Australians the coverage includes the geology, flora, fauna as well as the history of the continent. It was first published by Angus and Robertson in two volumes, one each in 1925 and 1926...
.
Groundbreaking Work
Cayley's big breakthrough came in 1931 when he published his most celebrated work: What Bird is That?What Bird is That?
What Bird is That? A Guide to the Birds of Australia is a book first published in 1931 by Angus & Robertson in Sydney. Authored and illustrated by Neville William Cayley, it was Australia’s first fully illustrated national field guide to birds, a function it served alone for nearly 40 years...
It was the first comprehensive field guide
Field guide
A field guide is a book designed to help the reader identify wildlife or other objects of natural occurrence . It is generally designed to be brought into the 'field' or local area where such objects exist to help distinguish between similar objects...
to Australian birds and included full-colour paintings of each species, setting the benchmark for all Australian field guides to come. It remained the only available field guide from the 1930s (the first edition was issued in 1931) to the 1960s. Rather than create another book for birding’s elite, Cayley wanted to create one that was accessible to beginners. To this end, he organised the birds by habitat, which made them easy to find and identify, and included concise information on bird distribution, behaviour and breeding. The book became a classic, has been reprinted and repackaged in many formats, and remains in print to this day.
Following the success of What Bird is That?
What Bird is That?
What Bird is That? A Guide to the Birds of Australia is a book first published in 1931 by Angus & Robertson in Sydney. Authored and illustrated by Neville William Cayley, it was Australia’s first fully illustrated national field guide to birds, a function it served alone for nearly 40 years...
Cayley published a number of other bird titles as well as paintings for What Butterfly is That? (1932) and Furred Mammals of Australia (1941). Cayley favoured watercolours and his vibrant pictures were steeped in sunlight and shadow. He often used bird specimens from the Australian Museum
Australian Museum
The Australian Museum is the oldest museum in Australia, with an international reputation in the fields of natural history and anthropology. It features collections of vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, as well as mineralogy, palaeontology, and anthropology...
as reference, and noted on the back of artwork which particular specimen he had used. His paintings were regularly published in the Royal Australasian Ornithologists’ Union’s quarterly journal The Emu
Emu (journal)
Emu, subtitled Austral Ornithology, is the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. The journal was established in 1901 and is the oldest ornithological journal published in Australia...
, and he wrote popular articles on birds for the weekly Sydney Mail
The Sydney Mail
The Sydney Mail was an Australian magazine published weekly in Sydney. The weekly edition of The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, it ran from 1860 to 1938....
. Cayley held several art exhibitions and in 1932 one of his paintings was presented to King George V
George V
George V was king of the United Kingdom and its dominions from 1910 to 1936.George V or similar terms may also refer to:-People:* George V of Georgia * George V of Imereti * George V of Hanover...
.
Cayley's 'Big Bird Book'
Meanwhile, the prolific Cayley was working on a much more ambitious project – his “big bird book”. From about 1918 until the time of his death in 1950, Cayley was painting subspecies, plumage stages and eggs (now lost) for the entire range of known Australian birds. Sadly, the project was incomplete at the time of his death, despite the illustrations being all but finished. In 1984, noted ornithologist Terence Lindsey picked up where Cayley had left off, incorporating these illustrations into a revised and expanded edition of What Bird is That?What Bird is That?
What Bird is That? A Guide to the Birds of Australia is a book first published in 1931 by Angus & Robertson in Sydney. Authored and illustrated by Neville William Cayley, it was Australia’s first fully illustrated national field guide to birds, a function it served alone for nearly 40 years...
For seasoned and emerging bird lovers alike, Cayley’s “big bird book” was finally published.
Beyond Publishing
As well as an author and artist, Cayley was a prominent ornithologist. A Fellow of the Royal Zoological Society of New South WalesRoyal Zoological Society of New South Wales
The Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales was formed in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in 1879 as the New South Wales Zoological Society. A Royal Charter was granted in September, 1908, leading to a change to the current name on 10 February 1909...
, he was elected President in 1932-1933. He was also President of the Royal Australasian Ornithologist’s Union
Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union
The Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, also known as Birds Australia, was founded in 1901 to promote the study and conservation of the native bird species of Australia and adjacent regions. This makes it Australia's oldest national birding association. It is also Australia's largest...
in 1936-1937. He was a Trustee of the Royal National Park
Royal National Park
Royal National Park is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 29 km south of Sydney CBD.Founded by Sir John Robertson, Acting Premier of New South Wales, and formally proclaimed on 26 April 1879, it is the world's second oldest purposed national park, the first usage of the term...
from 1937-1948 and was instrumental in establishing the zoological cabin there. Cayley was long associated with the Gould League of Bird Lovers of New South Wales
Gould League
The Gould League is an independent Australian organisation promoting environmental education, originally founded in Victoria in 1909 and named after the English ornithologist John Gould...
and was made an Honorary Life Member in 1935. The League published a large number of his paintings and his birds were reproduced on more than two million membership cards. Cayley truly believed in the value of ornithology and in memory of his father, he created a scholarship in Economic Ornithology at Sydney University
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, to be administered by the League and funded by royalties from What Bird is That? The scholarship was eventually extended to post-graduate students involved in wildlife study or management relating to birds from universities around Australia. It endured for around 50 years, with the final two 'Gould League of NSW Cayley Memorial Scholarships' awarded in 2010.
Cayley was active in other community pursuits, including being a founding member of the Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club
Cronulla Beach
Cronulla Beach , is a patrolled beach on Bate Bay, in Cronulla, New South Wales, Australia. The Cronulla Pavilion and the Cronulla Lifesaving Club are two prominent buildings located close to the sand. Cronulla Park sits behind the beach. The Cronulla Rock Pools are between Cronulla Beach and North...
and a member of the executive of the Surf Life Saving Association of Australia
Surf Life Saving Australia
Surf lifesaving is a multifaceted movement that comprises key aspects of voluntary lifeguard services and competitive surf sport. Originating in early 20th century Australia, the movement has expanded globally to other countries including New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, and the United States...
and the Royal Life Saving Society.