Craig

CRAIG, Adrian

Master of Science (zoology), PhD (zoology), emeritus professor Rhodes University
Biology (biodiversity, ornithology); Africa (southern Africa), Europe, Asia.

Born in South Africa in January 1951.  After completing MSc in Zoology (a project in bird behaviour) at the University of Cape Town (South Africa), spent a year at the University of Bielefeld (Germany), as an exchange student of the Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst.  PhD at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg (South Africa), in 1978 on breeding biology of weaverbirds.  From 1980 held an academic position in the Department of Zoology & Entomology at Rhodes University in Grahamstown (now Makhanda, South Africa).  Retired in 2016, retaining status of Emeritus Professor of Zoology. 

Since 1992 regular participation in the Pan-African Ornithological Congresses held every four years, and served on the Pan-African Ornithological Congress Committee (PAOCC) from 2000, chairing the Scientific Programme Committee for the 2004 congress in Tunisia, and chair of the PAOCC from 2008-2012.  Also attended the International Ornithological Congresses held in Germany (2), Austria, Canada (2), South Africa, China, Brazil and Japan. 

Served as editor of the scientific journal Ostrich from 1985-1997; currently on the editorial board of African Zoology. Awarded the 2014 Gill Memorial Medal by BirdLife South Africa for services to ornithology in Southern Africa.  Contributor to Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa, Birds of Africa (Vols 6, 7) and Handbook of the Birds of the World (Vols 14, 15)Collaboration with colleagues from the Université de Rennes (France) on vocalisations of African starlings since 2003.  Active bird-ringer, with interests also in the history of ornithological research in Africa, and the importance of museum collections.  Read and speak German, French and Afrikaans.

Key publications

 

Henry, L., Craig, A., Lemasson, A. & Hausberger, M. 2015. Social coordination in animal vocal interactions. Is there any evidence of turn-taking? The starling as an animal model. Frontiers in Psychology 6:1416. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01416 

Kuiper, T.R., Smith, D.L., Wolmarans, M.H.L., Jones, S.S., Forbes, R.W., Hulley, P.E. & Craig, A.J.F.K. (2015). The importance of winter-flowering Aloe ferox for specialist and generalist nectar-feeding birds. Emu 115: 49-57. doi:10.1071/MU14054

Chiawo, D.O., Kombe, W.N. & Craig, A.J.F.K. (2018). Bird responses to land use change: guild diversity in a Kenyan coastal forest and adjoining habitats. Emu Austral Ornithology 118 (3): 281-292. doi:10.1080/01584197.2018.1431052

Bonnevie, B.T. & Craig, A.J.F.K. (2018). A song for the South also: defining birdsong in global terms. Ibis 160 (4): 926-928. doi: 10.1111/ibi.12627

Craig, A.J.F.K. (2022). Mixed-species flocks of insectivorous birds ('bird parties') in Afrotropical forests and woodlands: a review. Ostrich 93 (1): 1-23. doi:10.2989/00306525.2022.206493 


Complete list of publications
 

List of Journal Articles (PDF)
List of Books (PDF)