René de Naurois


Abbé René de Naurois was a French Catholic priest, chaplain, and ornithologist.

Second World War

During the Second World War Naurois assisted the French Resistance, helped organise the escape of Jews from occupied France to Switzerland and Spain, and was one of the 177 Kieffer Commandos who took part in the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944. Honours received by de Naurois for his wartime activities include the Ordre de la Libération and the title of Righteous among the Nations.

Ornithology

Following the war Naurois became involved in ornithology, especially of the coast of West Africa and its offshore islands. His doctoral thesis, which he defended in 1969 at the age of 63, was titled "Populations and breeding cycles of birds of the western coast of Africa from Cape Barbas, Spanish Sahara to the frontier of the Republic of Guinea".

Publications

As well as numerous papers in the scientific literature, books authored or coauthored by Naurois include: