Editing Colin Bibby

{{Short description|British ornithologist and conservationist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
[[File:ColinBibby.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Bibby at the [[West Midland Bird Club]]'s 'Bird Club Forum' at Lea Marston, Warwickshire, in February 2004|alt=Tall man with thinning grey hair]]

'''Colin Joseph Bibby''' (20 November 1948 – 7 August 2004) was a British [[ornithology|ornithologist]] and [[environmental protection|conservationist]].

Bibby was born in the [[Wirral Peninsula|Wirral]], [[Cheshire]], the son of a [[North Wales]] farmer.  He was educated at [[Oundle School]], [[Northamptonshire]], and at [[St John's College, Cambridge]], graduating in natural sciences.  He gained his PhD for a classic study on the ecology and conservation of [[Dartford warbler]]s.<ref name=Unwin>Unwin, Brian. (26 August 2004). Colin Bibby. Defending birds round the world. ''The Guardian''.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110610085130/http://www.scricciolo.com/Nuovo_Neornithes/Bibby_Colin.htm]}}</ref><ref name=Marren2004>Marren, Peter. (16 August 2004). Colin Bibby. Ornithologist and authority on bird censusing techniques. ''Independent''.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110610085130/http://www.scricciolo.com/Nuovo_Neornithes/Bibby_Colin.htm]}}</ref>

Bibby was a research staff member for the [[Royal Society for the Protection of Birds]] from 1971 to 1986, and the head of Conservation Science from 1986 to 1991. In 1991, he moved to [[BirdLife International]], where he led their research team and a major research program, with projects in over 70 countries. In 2001 he became a self-employed environmental consultant. He was also a member of the [[Rare Breeding Birds Panel]], and the founding editor of the [[British Trust for Ornithology]] journal ''Ringing and Migration''.<ref name="Bircham">{{cite journal|last=Bircham|first=Peter|date=April 2013|title=The amateur British ornithologist - Amber Listed?|journal=[[British Birds (magazine)|British Birds]]|volume=106|issue=4|pages=237–238|issn=0007-0335}}</ref>

His major contributions were in the development of quantitative approaches to the study of birds for research leading to conservation. He was also a frequent contributor to ''[[British Birds (magazine)|British Birds]]'' magazine.<ref name="BB-110">{{cite journal |last1=Green |first1=Rhys |title=Colin's window |journal=[[British Birds (magazine)|British Birds]] |date=September 2017 |volume=110 |issue=9 |page=501}}</ref>

In 1994, he was awarded the [[Dr A.H. Heineken Prize]] for Environmental Sciences for his work with BirdLife International, and in June 2004, he received the RSPB Medal in recognition of his contribution to ornithology.

He learned that he had an incurable [[cancer]] in March 2004 and, on 7 August 2004 at the age of 55, died in his sleep. He was survived by his wife, Ruth, and three sons.

== Memorials ==

A special supplement published with ''[[Bird Conservation International]]'' (Vol 18 No 3, September 2008) was dedicated to Bibby.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2008/09/bci_bibby.html|title=Bird Conservation International celebrates Colin Bibby|last=Anon|date=2008-09-29|publisher=BirdLife International|accessdate=2009-08-23}}</ref> In it, Mike Rands, BirdLife's Chief Executive, wrote:

{{Blockquote|Colin Bibby was a truly remarkable man. He had a life-long interest in almost all things biological, and applied scientific thinking and rigour to a vast array of situations, be they the study of a particular conservation problem, or matters concerning the management of an organisation. [He] leaves a great legacy of knowledge and ideas, and this publication pays tribute to his innovative approach to the application of ornithology to conservation.}}

In 2017 a stained-glass painting of a [[Dartford Warbler]], in the style of Bibby's favourite artist, [[Eric Ennion]], was added to a window at [[St Michael and All Angels Church, Caldecote|St Michael and All Angels Church]], [[Caldecote, South Cambridgeshire|Caldecote]], Cambridgeshire in Bibby's honour.<ref name="BB-110" /> Bibby had spent the months after his fatal diagnosis fundraising for the church windows' restoration.<ref name="caldecotechurch">{{cite web|title=Special Choral Evensong 6pm Sunday 16th July – Caldecote Church|url=http://www.caldecotechurch.org.uk/special-choral-evensong-6pm-sunday-16th-july/|publisher=Caldecote Church|accessdate=2 September 2017}}</ref> A service of dedication for the memorial painting, on 16 July 2017, led by the Archdeacon of Cambridge, [[Alex Hughes (priest)|Alex Hughes]], was attended by over 100 people.<ref name="BB-110" /><ref name="caldecotechurch" />

==Selected publications==
* {{cite book|title=Putting biodiversity on the map: priority areas for global conservation|author=Bibby, C. J.|author2=Collar, N. J.|author3=Heath, M. F.|author4=Imboden, Ch.|author5=Johnson, T. H.|author6=Long, A. J.|author7=Stattersfield, A. J.|author8=Thirdgood, S. J.|location=Girton College, Cambridge, U.K.|publisher=International Council for Bird Preservation|year=1992|lccn=98196426|postscript=; vi+90 p. : col. ill. ; 30 cm|isbn=0946888248}}
* {{cite book|author=Bibby, Colin J.|author2=Burgess, Neil D.|author3=Hill, David A.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5TqfwEHCVuoC| isbn=9780080984506 | title=Bird Census Techniques | date=2 December 2012 | publisher=Academic Press |postscript=; illustrated by Sandra Lambton, RSPB}} (pbk reprint of 1992 1st edition); {{cite book|title=2nd edition|lccn=00101511|isbn=0120958317|postscript=; Simon Mustoe was an additional co-author and co-illustrator for the 2nd edition.|last1=Bibby |first1=Colin J. |last2=Burgess |first2=Neil D. |last3=Hillis |first3=David M. |last4=Hill |first4=David A. |last5=Mustoe |first5=Simon |date=15 August 2000 |publisher=Elsevier }}<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1086/394042|title=Review of ''Bird Census Techniques'', 2nd edition by Colin J. Bibby , Neil D. Burgess , David A. Hill , Simon Mustoe |year=2001 |last1=Jones |first1=Jason |journal=The Quarterly Review of Biology |volume=76 |issue=3 |page=363 }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2004/08/colin_bibby.html BirdLife International obituary]
*{{cite web |url=http://www.westmidlandbirdclub.com/obituaries/bibby.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716230937/http://www.westmidlandbirdclub.com/obituaries/bibby.htm |archive-date=16 July 2012 |publisher=West Midland Bird Club |title=Colin Bibby |url-status=unfit}}
* Bibby, C., M. Jones and S. Marsden (2000) Expedition Field Techniques. Bird Surveys. BirdLife International. [https://web.archive.org/web/20101122113936/http://www.conservationleadershipprogramme.org/UserDataWEB/ProjectManuals/Bird_Surveying_Manual.pdf Online]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bibby, Colin}}
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:English ornithologists]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in England]]
[[Category:People from the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral]]
[[Category:Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Royal Society for the Protection of Birds people]]
[[Category:20th-century British zoologists]]
[[Category:People educated at Oundle School]]