Alexander William Milligan facts for kids
Alexander William Milligan (born in 1858, passed away on March 30, 1921) was an Australian who loved birds. He worked as an accountant and a legal clerk, but he was also a dedicated zoological collector and an ornithologist. This means he studied birds and collected samples to learn more about them.
Contents
Who Was Alexander Milligan?
Alexander Milligan was born in a place called Sulky Gully, near Ballarat in Victoria, Australia. He went to school in Guildford, Victoria.
A New Home in Western Australia
In 1897, Alexander moved to Western Australia. There, he worked as an accountant for the government's Department of Lands and Surveys. But his real passion was birds!
Helping to Study Birds
Alexander was very important in the world of bird study in Australia. In 1901, he helped start a group called the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. This group brings together people who love and study birds. He also helped create a list of all the birds found in Australia.
He was also an Honorary Consulting Ornithologist for the Western Australian Museum. This means he gave expert advice about birds to the museum.
Later Life
In 1908, Alexander moved back to Victoria. He passed away in St Kilda in 1921. To honor his work, some birds were named after him by another famous bird expert, Gregory Mathews.
Discovering New Birds
Alexander Milligan made important contributions to understanding Australian birds. For example, he was the first to describe the Black Grasswren, a type of bird. He did this in 1902, using bird samples collected by Dr. F. M. House during an expedition in Western Australia. Describing a species means giving it a scientific name and detailing its features so others can identify it.
