Arnold Small; Expert on California Birds
Arnold Small, an authority on the birds of California and author of books that became staples in the backpacks of dedicated bird watchers, has died at the age of 73.
Small, a veteran teacher of biology, zoology and ornithology, died Monday in Los Angeles after a long illness.
The writer and photographer was so highly respected that his name was often cited beside John James Audubon’s as an authority on California and Western birds.
Small’s well-loved books included “Birds of the West,” which he wrote with Herbert Clarke, “Birds of California” and “Birds of California: Their Status and Distribution.” He also wrote widely for magazines and anthologies, illustrating his commentary with his own photographs of birds.
He traveled regularly to Antarctica to study penguins and became a scientific advisor for a highly praised science curriculum developed by the Los Angeles Unified School District in the 1980s to teach students about Antarctica and the Arctic. The program earned a designation from the National Science Foundation as one of the country’s 12 best elementary school science and mathematics programs.
A native of New York City, Small served in the Army during World War II, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he moved to Los Angeles, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in science from USC and two doctorates from UCLA.
Small taught for more than 35 years, moving from high school classrooms to Los Angeles Harbor College and then UCLA. His students often found themselves in any available wetlands or nearby lake, which Small considered nature’s laboratory.
Even in his retirement, Small continued to teach regular birding workshops through UCLA Extension. He also created a commercial video titled “Techniques of Birding” to teach would-be birders the importance of locating birds, seeing and listening, complete with his recommendations of books to consult and equipment such as binoculars.
Small is survived by his wife, Millicent; a son, Brian, and daughter, Donalee; and two grandchildren.
Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple’s Irmas Campus, 2112 S. Barrington Ave., Los Angeles.
