Person
Deignan, Herbert Girton (1906 - 1968)
- Born
- 5 December 1906
East Orange, New Jersey, United States of America - Died
- 15 March 1968
- Occupation
- Ornithologist and Teacher
Summary
Herbert Deignan was an ornithologist who spent much of his career working at the United States National Museum. He was noted as an expert on the birds of Thailand. His particular interest was in the taxonomy of birds, particularly Passerines. Before joining the Museum in 1938 he spent several years as an English teacher in Siam (now Thailand). While there he became proficient in the Sanskrit and Siamese languages. He also collected bird specimens which he sent to the museum of his alma mater, Princeton University, and the Museum. In 1948 he was appointed ornithologist to the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land. Results from his examination of specimens collected during the Expedition were published in volume 4 of the Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land(1964).
Details
Chronology
- 1923 - 1946
- Career position - Member, American Ornithologists' Union
- 1928
- Education - BA, Princeton University, New Jersey, U.S.A.
- 1928 - 1932
- Career position - Teacher of English, Chiangmai College, Thailand
- 1932 - 1933
- Career position - Temporary position, United States National Museum
- June 1934 - January 1935
- Career position - Worked at the Library of Congress, Washington D.C., U.S.A.
- 1935 - 1937
- Career position - Teacher of English, Chiangmai College, Thailand
- 1938 - 1940
- Career position - Scientific Aide, Division of Birds, United States National Museum
- 1940 - 1942
- Career position - Assistant Curator, Division of Birds, United States National Museum
- 1942 - 1959
- Career position - Associate Curator, Division of Birds, United States National Museum
- 1946 - 1968
- Award - Life Fellow, American Ornithologists' Union
- February 1948 - November 1948
- Career position - Ornithologist, American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land
- 1959 - 1961
- Career position - Secretary, American Ornithologists' Union
- 1959 - 1962
- Career position - Curator, Division of Birds, United States National Museum
- 1962
- Life event - Retired
Related entries
Colleague
Published resources
Book Sections
- Deignan, Herbert G., 'Birds of the Arnhem Land Expedition' in Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land, 4: zoology, R. L. Specht, ed. (Parkville, Vic.: Melbourne University Press, 1964), pp. 345-425. Details
Journal Articles
- Friedman, Herbert, 'In memoriam: Herbert Girton Deignan', Auk, 87 (1970), 14-9. Details
Helen Cohn
Created: 21 August 2025