Dr. Rob Butler is one of Canada's best known ornithologists. He is widely published in the scientific and popular press where his publications on conservation aided in international and national designations to important bird habitats. His advice is sought by governments and conservation organizations in Canada and abroad. He co-produced two films (The Perfect State (2016), and Returning (2018) about nature embedded in culture. He served on many boards including as Chair, President, and cofounder of the Pacific WildLife Foundation. In 1987, Rob coauthored a report on the international significance of birds on the Fraser River Delta in British Columbia, Canada. Many of the report's recommendations were implemented which helped stabilize, contribute to the recovery of its birdlife, and receive the highest conservation designations for its birds. In 2021, he coauthored a review of progress and called for a shared common vision to mobilize combined efforts to conserve and to celebrate the presence of the millions of birds that annually use the delta. A portion of sales of Rob's artwork will go this cause.
Rob was Chair of the Vancouver International Bird Festival that showcased AFC artists as part of a public program accompanying the 27th International Ornithological Congress in 2018. His recent coauthored book ‘Pacific Flyway’ won a Nautilus silver medal and served to raise awareness of the importance of bird habitats from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. Rob's art is an extension of his conservation work. He is a supporter of the arts as a means to raise conservation awareness.
