Richard Kendall Brooke
Encyclopedia
Richard Kendall Brooke was a South Africa
n ornithologist
.
where his father served in the British Army
. His academic career began at Rhodes University
in Grahamstown
where he took a bachelor's degree
in theology
. Later he pursued a career as a minor civil servant with a government department in Zimbabwe
. His real interests, however, already lay with ornithology.
In 1972 he accepted an invitation to join the staff of the Durban Natural Science Museum, aware that he needed to obtain a higher degree, either a master's
or a doctorate
, to maintain the position. His submitted thesis was queried by a prominent United States ornithologist having a view request, who offered to assist him in working on it. The query could easily have been matched but Brooke was vehemently disinclined to revise any part of his text, insisting that it was more than adequate.
He then left the Durban Museum and returned to Zimbabwe, where he worked with the Rhodesian Railways
for a short time. His experiences with ornithology resulted in an invitation to join the staff of the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
at the University of Cape Town
. Here he spend many fulfilling years of his productive life.
After a long illness he returned to Zimbabwe in 1996 where he died in the house of his brother. Richard Brooke never married.
of the swift
s (Apodidae) of the Old World
. Soon he acquired a solid background and became a world expert on the topic. Besides a wide range of papers he proposed new subspecies of the Palm Swifts
, of Mottled
and African Swift
and introduced the genus Hydrochous.
Already 1971 Brooke served as a member of a panel of four specialists dealing with the birds of Zambia
. Later, in particular after he joined the Percy FitzPatrick Institute, he widened his field of expertise, especially regarding the taxonomy and other biological aspects of various seabird
groups. One of his major works is the "South African red data book – birds", for which he was awarded the Gill Memorial Medal.
One of his last papers reflects his findings on the possible difference of the South African Pied Avocet
, which he thought was a distinct subspecies. However, due to the limited available material he did not give it a scientific name.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n 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...
.
Biography
Brooke was born in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
where his father served in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. His academic career began at Rhodes University
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public research university located in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, established in 1904. It is the province’s oldest university, and is one of the four universities in the province...
in Grahamstown
Grahamstown
Grahamstown is a city in the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa and is the seat of the Makana municipality. The population of greater Grahamstown, as of 2003, was 124,758. The population of the surrounding areas, including the actual city was 41,799 of which 77.4% were black,...
where he took a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
. Later he pursued a career as a minor civil servant with a government department in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
. His real interests, however, already lay with ornithology.
In 1972 he accepted an invitation to join the staff of the Durban Natural Science Museum, aware that he needed to obtain a higher degree, either a master's
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
or a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
, to maintain the position. His submitted thesis was queried by a prominent United States ornithologist having a view request, who offered to assist him in working on it. The query could easily have been matched but Brooke was vehemently disinclined to revise any part of his text, insisting that it was more than adequate.
He then left the Durban Museum and returned to Zimbabwe, where he worked with the Rhodesian Railways
National Railways of Zimbabwe
The National Railways of Zimbabwe is the parastatal railway of Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe railway system was largely constructed during the time of British colonial rule, and part of it represents a segment of the Cape-Cairo railway...
for a short time. His experiences with ornithology resulted in an invitation to join the staff of the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
The Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology is a South African biological research and conservation institute based at the University of Cape Town...
at the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
. Here he spend many fulfilling years of his productive life.
After a long illness he returned to Zimbabwe in 1996 where he died in the house of his brother. Richard Brooke never married.
Scientific work
Brooke's early work with birds focussed the taxonomyTaxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
of the swift
Swift
The swifts are a family, Apodidae, of highly aerial birds. They are superficially similar to swallows, but are actually not closely related to passerine species at all; swifts are in the separate order Apodiformes, which they share with hummingbirds...
s (Apodidae) of the Old World
Old World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
. Soon he acquired a solid background and became a world expert on the topic. Besides a wide range of papers he proposed new subspecies of the Palm Swifts
Cypsiurus
Cypsiurus is a genus of the swift family of birds.There are two species* Asian Palm Swift, Cypsiurus balasiensis* African Palm Swift, Cypsiurus parvusThese very similar species were formerly considered to be conspecific....
, of Mottled
Mottled Swift
The Mottled Swift is a species of bird in the swift family, Apodidae. It is one of two species in the genus Tachymarptis together with the Alpine Swift . It occurs widely in eastern Africa and locally in western Africa...
and African Swift
African Swift
The African Black Swift or African Swift, Apus barbatus, is a small bird in the swift family. It breeds in Africa discontinuously from Liberia, Cameroon, Zaire, Uganda and Kenya south to South Africa, and on Madagascar. The breeding habitat is damp mountains, typically between 1,600 - 2,400 m,...
and introduced the genus Hydrochous.
Already 1971 Brooke served as a member of a panel of four specialists dealing with the birds of Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
. Later, in particular after he joined the Percy FitzPatrick Institute, he widened his field of expertise, especially regarding the taxonomy and other biological aspects of various seabird
Seabird
Seabirds are birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations...
groups. One of his major works is the "South African red data book – birds", for which he was awarded the Gill Memorial Medal.
One of his last papers reflects his findings on the possible difference of the South African Pied Avocet
Pied Avocet
The Pied Avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta, is a large black and white wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae. They breed in temperate Europe and western and Central Asia. It is a migratory species and most winter in Africa or southern Asia...
, which he thought was a distinct subspecies. However, due to the limited available material he did not give it a scientific name.