Chris Perrins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Perrins
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|---|---|
| Born | 11 May 1935 |
| Education | Charterhouse School |
| Alma mater |
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| Spouse(s) |
Mary Ceresole Carslake
(m. 1963) |
| Awards | Godman-Salvin Medal, 2018 RSPB Medal, 1992 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Ornithology |
| Institutions | |
| Thesis | Some factors influencing brood-size and populations in ... (1963) |
| Doctoral advisor | David Lack |
| Doctoral students |
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Christopher Miles Perrins, also known as Chris Perrins, is a famous British scientist. He was born on May 11, 1935. He is an expert in Ornithology, which is the study of birds.
Chris Perrins is a special kind of professor at the University of Oxford. He is also known for being the King's Warden of the Swans since 1993. This means he helps look after the swans that belong to the King of the United Kingdom.
Contents
Learning About Birds
Chris Perrins went to Charterhouse School when he was younger. Later, he studied Zoology (the study of animals) at Queen Mary College. He earned his first degree there in 1957.
He then went to the University of Oxford for more advanced studies. In 1963, he earned his Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree. His research was about how many eggs birds lay, especially a type of bird called a tit. His teacher and mentor was another famous bird scientist, David Lack.
Studying Bird Populations
Chris Perrins is well-known for his work on how bird populations grow and change. He looked at how many babies birds have and how this affects their numbers.
He did a lot of important work at Wytham Woods. This is a special forest area where scientists have been studying great tit birds since 1947. It's one of the most famous long-term studies in the world about animal populations.
Perrins also discovered that female birds lay a certain number of eggs based on how well they can feed their chicks. If a bird can find lots of food, she might lay more eggs.
He also taught and guided many students at Oxford. Some of his students became famous scientists themselves, like Matt Ridley and Tim Birkhead.
His scientific articles have been published in important journals like Ibis, Nature, and Science.
Books and Publications
Chris Perrins has written or helped write many books about birds. These books share his knowledge with other scientists and people who love birds.
- Encyclopedia of Birds
- The Mute Swan
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Birds: The Definitive Guide to Birds of the World: (1990)
- Bird Population Studies: Relevance to Conservation and Management: (1996)
- The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Volume 1: Non-passerines (1998)
- The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Volume 2: (1998)
- The New Encyclopedia of Birds: Editor, (2003)
- The Complete Encyclopedia of Birds and Bird Migration: (2004)
Awards and Special Roles
Chris Perrins has received many awards for his important research.
- In 1988, he won the Godman-Salvin Medal from the British Ornithologists' Union.
- In 1992, he received the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Medal.
- In 1993, he became the first Warden of the Swans for the Royal Household. This is a special job where he helps with the annual Swan Upping ceremony. During this ceremony, swans on the River Thames are counted and checked for their health.
- In 1997, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
- In 2016, he received the Union Medal from the British Ornithologists' Union (BOU). This award was for his amazing contributions to bird science. He was also the President of the BOU from 2003 to 2007.
