George Peck has been a prominent ornithologist in Ontario for over 50 years. He is recognized for his work at the Royal Ontario Museum with the Ontario Nest Records Scheme, which he built into a major monitoring system of the breeding biology of Ontario birds.
George has contributed much to the scientific knowledge of Ontario birds through papers in North America’s leading ornithological journals. He authored eight species accounts in the first Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario. George co-authored with Jim Richards a chapter on early Oologists in Ornithology in Ontario in 1987. He co-authored with Ross James volume 1 in 1983 of the Breeding Birds of Ontario, Nidiology and Distribution: Nonpasserines. The Passerines in volume 2 was published in 1987. Both volumes were updated in seven installments in Ontario Birds.
George was appointed a Research Associate in Ornithology at the Royal Ontario Museum in 1976. He is an active member of many international, national, provincial and local organizations, some since 1939.
George is a well known wildlife photographer with a penchant for birds. His images have been published in 88 books, magazines and journals. George’s quest is to photograph every North American bird species.
George Peck (right) receives the Distinguished Ornithologist Award at the OFO Annual Convention at Point Pelee on 29 September 2001. Left to right are Jim Richards (presenter), Jean Iron, Chris Escott and George Peck. Photo: Sam Barone