John Latham (ornithologist), Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

John Latham (ornithologist)

English physician, naturalist and author

Date of Birth: 27-Jun-1740

Place of Birth: Eltham, England, United Kingdom

Date of Death: 04-Feb-1837

Profession: naturalist, writer, physician, zoologist, illustrator, biologist, ornithologist, scientific illustrator

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

John Latham (27 June 1740 – 4 February 1837) was an English physician, naturalist and author.
His main works were A General Synopsis of Birds (1781–1801) and General History of Birds (1821–1828).
He was able to examine specimens of Australian birds which reached England in the last twenty years of the 18th century, and was responsible for naming many of them.
These included the emu, sulphur-crested cockatoo, wedge-tailed eagle, superb lyrebird and Australian magpie.
He was also the first to describe the hyacinth macaw.
Latham has been called the "grandfather" of Australian ornithology.