5 the state of science in south africa
B I O L O G I C A L S C I E N C E S
5.3.5 Ornithology the accolade of ‘mother’ must surely go to
Cecily Niven.
T
he efforts of the early collectors not-
withstanding, the launching pad for
Cecily Niven was the only daughter of Sir
modern ornithology in South Africa
Percy FitzPatrick, author of the South Af-
was the publication of Edgar Layard’s Birds
rican classic Jock of the Bushveld. In 1954,
of South Africa in 1867. This was subse-
shortly before she became president of the
quently expanded and co-authored with
South (later Southern) African Ornithologi-
Richard Sharpe, resulting in a multi-volume
cal Society (now BirdLife South Africa), she
work completed in 1884. Following acceler-
invited the International Ornithological
ating interest in birds in the late 19
th
centu-
Congress to hold its next meeting in South
ry, the South African Ornithologists’ Union,
Africa. This was declined, but a year later
the first ornithological society in Africa, was
she initiated the first Pan-African Ornitho-
established in 1904 and the first issue of its
logical Congress, which was held at Living-
journal appeared the following year.
stone, Zambia, in 1957. These meetings are
still held every four years.
The early years of the journal and its suc-
cessors (including Ostrich, which is still
Cecily Niven’s commitment to ornithology
published today) contained many con-
in South Africa went far beyond confer-
tributions by the first South African-born
ences and workshops. In 1958, assisted by
ornithologist to achieve an international
her husband Jack, she garnered the sup-
reputation, viz. Austin Roberts. Most of the
port of the SAOS when she announced that
work published by Roberts was summa-
the Percy FitzPatrick Memorial Trust would
rised in his 1940 book, Birds of South Africa.
make available the initial capital endow-
This book has been the South African ‘bird
ment to launch the Percy FitzPatrick Insti-
bible’ since its first publication and survived
tute of African Ornithology (PFIAO). Despite
in something approaching its original for-
strong competition from RU, UCT’s promise
mat for 65 years, before being completely
to provide a dedicated building for such an
rewritten as a fully referenced handbook
institute swung the decision in its favour.
in 2005. It remains the best-selling African
The PFIAO remains the only institute of or-
natural history book of all time.
nithology in the southern hemisphere, and
one of only a handful in the world.
The publication of ‘Roberts’, as it is popu-
larly known, caused an immense upsurge The first director of the PFIAO assumed of-
in interest in ornithology. Today, in terms fice in 1960. Interestingly, even though the
of the numbers and quality of handbooks, PFIAO will be celebrating its 50
th
anniversary
field guides and other birding books, South in 2010, there have only been four directors
Africa stands head and shoulders above to date. Today, the PFIAO’s Niven Library
most countries in the world. But if Austin stands as a memorial to the Niven family’s
Roberts earns recognition as the father of vision. From humble beginnings, it is the
modern ornithology in South Africa, then most comprehensive ornithological library
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