David Bishop

Currently I am the Director of Semioptera Pty. Ltd. Consulting Australia and David Bishop Bird Tours. During the past 38 years I have lived and worked for extended periods of time in Indonesia and PNG as a field biologist researching and surveying birds and other wildlife. Much of the resulting data has been published and frequently utilized to assist conservation agencies to aid the establishment of important conservation areas and management strategies (see list of references). My list of more than 40 publications includes a major book on the Birds of Wallacea (in English and Indonesian). I am presently involved in ongoing field research programs in New Guinea and SE Asia (often together with Professor Jared Diamond) and independently in Bhutan.

I speak fluent Melanesian Pidgin, Indonesian, Malay and, and have extensive experience and an in-depth knowledge in dealing with indigenous peoples, in particular New Guineans and Indonesians, from all walks of life. I excel at organizing pre-expedition arrangements and field logistics and in managing disparate groups of people under various challenging circumstances especially in remote areas. My publications reflect my deep interest in the ornithology of New Guinea and Asia, especially Indonesia and New Guinea with particular emphasis on providing the groundwork that underpins conservation and developmental decisions. To this end I am especially skilled at identifying birds by sound (a very important component of surveying tropical forest bird communities) and I am familiar with in excess of 5,000 bird species. As a consequence I am able to survey all and any habitats throughout Asia and the SW Pacific region quickly and efficiently.

Read more about David Bishop’s professional background.

For specialised consultancy services and bird habitat surveys, contact David Bishop.