Dr. Frank Bellrose

Class of 1934 Dr. Frank Bellrose had an outstanding career in ornithology (the study of birds) and waterfowl ecology. He attended the University of Illinois, earning a B.S. degree in Zoology in 1938. He worked professionally with the Illinois Natural History Survey. As the result of his life long dedication and storied career, the Frank C. Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center near Havana, Illinois has been named in his honor. He is known most particularly for his study of the wood duck, and his pioneering work on lead poisoning as a mortality factor among waterfowl is one of his most important contributions and a major factor in the replacement of lead with nontoxic shot. He is known also for his innovative study methods and his ecological findings have made apparent the detrimental effect of sedimentation on the lakes of the Illinois Valley. Dr. Bellrose is a world-renowned author. He has published more than 110 scientific and popular articles. His book Ducks, Geese and Swans of North America has sold more than 350,000 copies and along with the more recently published, Ecology and Management of the Wood Duck, is considered a classic, with each receiving the Wildlife Society’s Publication of the Year Awards. In recognition of his long and productive career, Western Illinois University and McMurray College each awarded him honorary Doctor of Science degrees. He received the Professional Award of Merit from the Illinois Chapter of the Wildlife Society in 1979, and in 1985 The Wildlife Society awarded him the Aldo Leopold Award, its most prestigious award. February 1, 1988, was declared “Frank Bellrose Day” by Illinois Governor James Thompson. In 2001, Dr. Bellrose was selected as a charter inductee into the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame.