James Little Baillie

James Little Baillie, ornithologist, naturalist, writer (b at Toronto 4 July 1904; d there 29 May 1970). Employee of the Royal Ontario Museum for 48 years, Baillie's profession and avocation were devoted to the study and interpretation of ornithology. At his death, he was assistant curator of ornithology at the ROM. He had also been registrar, cataloguer and custodian of the museum's ornithological collections.

His activities and accomplishments in his field were innumerable. He served on the Council of the American Ornithologists' Union; acted as secretary-treasurer of the Canadian Audubon Society; was a founding member of the Toronto Ornithological Club; was president of the Toronto Field Naturalists; for 29 years wrote a weekly bird column in the Toronto Telegram; and lectured on ornithology at University of Toronto. Baillie wrote many papers on ornithology published by the ROM. He also compiled volumes of data on North American naturalists now at U of T. The Toronto Field Naturalists' Club acquired 36 hectares of land near Uxbridge, Ontario, for the Jim Baillie Nature Reserve.