Michael Imber D.F.C.: 1940-2011

 Michael was born in Banbury, England in 1940. At nine years of age his family moved to Portsoy, Scotland, near Keith, Banffshire, where his mother’s MacKenzie ancestors farmed a croft in Glen of Newmill. Michael attended Massey University till 1965, completing a BAgSc and MAgSC. He studied for a PhD and in 1986/7 was conferred with a Doctor of Science degree by Massey University, a degree rarely awarded and requires an overseas and a New Zealand adjudicator to approve, for his substantial body of published scientific work. Michael was a well respected authority on bird life especially seabirds – Cook’s petrel, black petrel, grey-faced petrel, Canada geese, storm petrels, prions, shearwaters, Pycroft’s petrel, Chatham Island taiko and many more. During this period he also became a specialist in the field of Cranchiidae squids. Michael retired in 2005 and the Department awarded him the title of Honorary Research Associate. There are over seventy publications written by Mike which serve as a basis for future ornithologists. Michael identified a species of Petrel that was extinct and had the honour of it being named after him, “Pterodroma imberi”.