Harrison Bruce Tordoff

Born in 1923, Harrison Bruce “Bud” Tordoff became known as an American ornithologist, conservationist, and educator. He studied at Cornell University, later earned a doctorate in ornithology at the University of Michigan, and built a career centered on birds, ecology, and wildlife management.

He is especially remembered for influential work in raptor conservation, including efforts connected with the recovery of peregrine falcons in the Midwest. Beyond his research, he served in academic and museum leadership roles and helped train later generations of biologists.

Before returning to academic life, he served in World War II as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Army Air Forces. That combination of field science, conservation leadership, and wartime experience gives his story an uncommon range and makes him a memorable figure in twentieth-century American natural history.